PM in crisis! What Boris Johnson needs to stay in power – but is he really at risk?

Boris Johnson ‘is a loner’ says Tom Bower

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By the end of tonight, Conservative MPs will have determined whether Boris Johnson remains the UK Prime Minister. Their no confidence ballot, triggered by a smattering of letters from disaffected MPs, could see a majority decide to oust the Tory leader. The vote has triggered a campaign from the Prime Minister and his Cabinet to save his career.

How many votes does Boris Johnson need tonight?

They have sought to curry favour among MPs and prevent his opponents from hitting the number of votes required to initiate a leadership challenge. 

Mr Johnson’s close allies will need to stave off a rebellion that is larger than 50 percent of the party’s Parliamentary presence. 

And they will need to gain 50 percent of votes plus one to keep him in post. 

The Conservative Party currently has a 359 MP strong presence in Parliament.

A total of 180 MPs will need to vote against the Prime Minister to force him out of office. 

Mr Johnson will need the same number to stay in position at the end of the day. 

While it would prove devastating for Mr Johnson despite a win, his allies are prepared to accept a one vote majority today.

Speaking to Sky News’ political correspondent Beth Rigby today, culture minister and fervent Johnson ally Nadine Dorries spoke about the vote’s implications. 

She told Ms Rigby a majority of one would be “enough to move on”.

In the same interview, she criticised the MPs who initiated the vote. 

Ms Dorries said she found it “utterly bizarre” that a “small number of MPs” felt they could overrule the numbers who voted for him in 2019.

Mr Johnson won 14 million votes in 2019 which, while a majority compared to other parties, was still less than 50 percent of voters. 

She claimed a “small number of individuals ” were behind attempts to unseat the Prime Minister. 

And she attempted to pin blame on “remainers” who she said operated a “very well organised campaign” with “disaffected” MPs to topple Mr Johnson. 

Ms Dorries said members of her party were acting in an “unacceptable” way. 

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