Tory civil war fears as more Johnson allies may quit
The Conservative Party is on high alert as rumours circulate that additional allies of Boris Johnson may resign as MPs, potentially escalating internal conflict within the party. Johnson’s supporters have indicated that two more MPs may be preparing to step down, following the recent resignations of Nadine Dorries and Nigel Adams, who joined the former prime minister in triggering by-elections. However, some loyalists to the government believe the momentum behind the rebellion may be waning, as claims of up to six more MPs resigning have not yet come to fruition.
Several of Johnson’s closest allies, including the recently knighted Jacob Rees-Mogg, have publicly stated they will not be resigning, despite their vocal support for the former prime minister. In an article for The Mail on Sunday, Rees-Mogg announced his intention to run for his North East Somerset seat in the next election and campaign for a Conservative victory on a national level. He also suggested that Johnson’s resignation and potential candidacy in another seat at the next election could position him for a return as Conservative leader if a vacancy arises.
In his resignation statement on Friday, Johnson expressed his sadness at leaving Parliament “at least for now.” Rees-Mogg issued a warning to the Conservative Party against any attempts to block Johnson’s nomination in another seat, stating that such actions would shatter the party’s fragile unity and plunge the Conservatives into civil war.
Leading Brexit advocate Lord Frost, writing in The Sunday Telegraph, also predicted a possible Johnson comeback, noting that the former prime minister is leaving Parliament only “for now.” However, party veterans opposed to Johnson’s return, such as former deputy prime minister Lord Heseltine, have called on the party leadership to prevent the former prime minister from re-entering the Commons. In an article for The Observer, Lord Heseltine deemed it “inconceivable” that Johnson could stand as a Conservative MP again and suggested that it is up to the Conservative central office to endorse an official candidate.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has called for a general election in the wake of the high-profile resignations, asserting that Rishi Sunak has lost control of his government. In a piece for the Sunday Mirror, Sir Keir urged Sunak to “finally find a backbone, call an election, and let the public have their say on 13 years of Tory failure,” adding that “this farce must stop” as people have had enough.
