Boris Johnson’s ‘big mistake’ exposed as Keir blasts PM’s ‘cling’ to power

Keir Starmer blasts Boris Johnson as confidence vote looms

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The Labour party leader suggested Boris Johnson had made a disastrous leadership decision by refusing to step down over partygate findings of lawbreaking inside Number Ten. Sir Keir renewed his pledge that he would resign from his position if he was found to be in breach of lockdown restrictions and was issued with a fine by Durham police. As the Monday evening vote of no confidence looms over the Prime Minister, the Labour Leader urged Tory ministers to oust Boris Johnson. Speaking to LBC, Sir Keir said: “It’s very important, I think, for everybody to hear, and everyone to know, that not all politicians are the same.”

He continued: “I think the Prime Minister has made a big mistake by trying to cling on in relation to the lawbreaking that we know went on in Downing Street – I’m different.

“If that fixed penalty notice is issued, then I will do the right thing and I will step down from my post because I do believe that our democracy relies upon integrity and honesty. 

“I hold others to high standards and I’m going to hold myself to those high standards, I’ve made it clear that that applies, if I am issued with the fine.”

The Labour Leader suggested Boris Johnson should have stepped down from his position as Prime Minister at a far earlier point in the Sue Gray investigation in order to avoid the political distraction of a no confidence vote.

Sir Keir urged Tory MPs to turn against their leader as at least 54 letters of no confidence in Boris Johnson were received by the 1922 Committee, prompting a vote on the Prime Minister’s party leadership.

He continued: “If you look at the previous examples of no confidence votes, even when Conservative Prime Ministers survive those, and he might survive it tonight, the damage is already done – usually, they fall reasonably swiftly afterwards.”

The Labour Leader added: “I think they’ve got to show some leadership and vote against the Prime Minister. 

“He’s lost the trust, I think, of the country, I think that’s pretty clear from all the evidence I’ve seen.”

Read more: Tory peer outlines SIX candidates to takeover from Boris

An announcement from the Chair of the 1922 Committee, Sir Graham Brady confirmed enough letters have been received to trigger a no confidence vote.

While he did not reveal the exact number of letters received by the Committee, he did confirm that the threshold of 54 was crossed at some point over the bank holiday weekend in celebration of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

The Prime Minister has repeatedly apologised for his involvement in the partygate scandal, although Mr Johnson has been very clear he had no plans to consequently resign from his political career.

The vote is set to take place between six and eight oclock on Monday evening and the Prime Minister will require just over half of all Conservative MPs to vote in his favour to survive the challenge.

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Sir Keir Starmer has continued to denounce the Prime Minister as Durham police launch a renewed investigation into a Labour party gathering in a hospitality venue during strict lockdown measures.

While the Labour Leader has not yet received a fine for the incident, he has confirmed that he will resign from his role if he is issued a fixed penalty notice by the police. Deputy Leader Angela Rayner has also echoed this sentiment, promising her own resignation if the incident is ruled to have broken lockdown measures.

As Tory MPs remain divided on the matter of partygate, much of the population of the UK, it seems, wish for the issue to be swiftly resolved in order to address other major political concerns.

The most recent polling data from YouGov said 61 percent of the country believed the Government’s major political focus should be on economic policy to address the cost of living crisis.

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