After local election debacle: Tory MPs call for debate on Boris Johnson's future

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British Prime Minister Johnson (in April): "Hard night"

Photo: Chris J. Ratcliffe / POOL / EPA

As soon as MPs are back in the government district in Westminster, a discussion will be held, Tory MP Aaron Bell told the BBC on Saturday.

After the British Conservatives' painful losses in local elections last week, the MP from the northern English district of Newcastle-under-Lyme is calling for a debate on Prime Minister Boris Johnson's political future.

"It's better to happen sooner rather than later." The situation shouldn't be allowed to continue to weigh on the party for months, Bell said.

In Thursday's local elections in England, Wales and Scotland, the governing Tories lost around 500 seats and power in 11 boroughs, including London's Westminster and Wandsworth councils, which have been in Tory hands for decades, after votes were almost fully counted were.

They went to the Labor Party, which made significant gains in the election.

The Liberal Democrats gained more than 200 seats and are thus also considered the winners of the elections.

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• Partygate: Johnson apologizes for violating corona rules

At least in part, the Tory loss is attributed to the so-called Partygate scandal surrounding banned celebrations in Downing Street, the seat of government, during the corona lockdown.

Johnson has been under criticism and political pressure for months.

After the election, the prime minister admitted that it had been a "tough night in some parts of the country," but also pointed to his party's successes in other regions.

According to a Sky News calculation, if the results of the regional elections were carried over to a national general election, the Tories would lose their absolute majority in the London House of Commons.

However, whether Johnson's losses will be dangerous depends on his party colleagues.

If 54 MPs withdraw their confidence in him, there is a vote of no confidence.

Johnson critic Bell submitted his no-confidence note back in February.

But also John Mallinson, leader of the Tories in Carlisle City Council, told the BBC on Friday that he had "lost some very good colleagues" in Council Cumberland's local elections and that it had been "difficult to bring the debate during the campaign to local To steer topics «, because he had to struggle with Partygate and the current cost of living crisis.

Education Minister Nadhim Zahawi defended Johnson in an interview with the BBC on Saturday, praising his integrity.

As a politician, he was unique in his ability to get through to the people, said the minister, not without taking a stab at Aaron Bell, referring to Johnson's clear successes, including in Bell's Newcastle-under-Lyme district.

For the Tories it is now a question of closing ranks and silencing critics: "We are stronger when we are united and that is my message to all my colleagues," said Zahawi.

bor/dpa