7:29pm AEST by Adrian Beaumont: Boris Johnson is to resign, but wants to remain caretaker PM until a new Conservative leader is elected this northern autumn. Will this be acceptable to Conservative MPs, or will they demand he resign immediately with a caretaker PM taking over until the election of a new leader?
Conservative MPs vote in rounds with the lowest polling leadership candidate eliminated each round, until there are just two left. Those final two go to the right-wing Conservative membership, which votes by mail. To be certain to make the final round, a candidate needs one-third of the MPs’ vote. The membership is more right-wing than MPs, so if a right-wing candidate makes the final two, that candidate could win.
William Bowe’s original post
As of very early morning Australian time, the situation in Britain as I understand is that 34 ministers and aides have resigned citing lack of confidence in Boris Johnson as Prime Minister — including two of the most senior cabinet ministers in Rishi Sunak, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Sajid Javid, the Health Secretary — and that a delegation of about seven of the 23 cabinet ministers have confronted him to demand his resignation, one of whom is freshly minted chancellor Nadhim Zahawi. At least some of these have told Johnson that they will resign if he doesn’t.
Johnson is nonetheless refusing to go, and the Conservative Party’s governing 1922 committee has decided not to change rules prohibiting two leadership votes within a year, after he narrowly survived one a month ago. A second delegation of members of parliament has also gone to 10 Downing Street to urge him to fight on, which reportedly included Zahawi, determined to have two bob each way. However, elections for a new executive of the 1922 committee will be held next Monday, which could produce a result that will revisit the question of rewriting the party rules, potentially forcing Johnson out.
There have been suggestions that Johnson might seek a way out by calling a snap election, on which he is apparently sending mixed signals. It would seem to me that this would put Her Majesty in a difficult spot, since she ought not grant a dissolution to a Prime Minister who does not hold the confidence of parliament if a new administration can be formed without one. My guess though is that it won’t ultimately come to that.
The whole “Boris” character is an act. He is known to his family and friends as “Al” from his actual name of Alexander. Boris is a boffin act he does to appear harmless. And it has generally worked well for him too. The problem is it is very hard to build trust when you are always acting and what trust he had built evaporated with all the scandals.
Starmer says Johnson must go now, warning of no confidence vote
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer
BBC
Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer is demanding Boris Johnson stand down as PM immediately, saying it’s not fair on the country for him to stay on as caretaker prime minister.
“He needs to go, he can’t cling on,” Starmer says.
“His own party has decided it’s time – so they can’t inflict him on the country for the next few months.”
Insisting Labour will take matters into its own hands if necessary, Starmer warns the Tories that if they don’t get rid of Johnson “Labour will, in the national interest, bring a no confidence vote – because this can’t go on”.
“The change we need is not just at the top, we need a change of government. We need a Labour government.”
Do you know London contains a special area called “City of London” where corporations vote and not people!!
No typo. You read that correctly.
Ven – They even have their own police service different to the London Metro police and instead of Blue and White checkerboard pattern the force uses Red and White checkerboard pattern.
POLL: Keir Starmer beats every major Tory leadership candidate apart from Sunak. [J.L. Partners]
https://twitter.com/jamesjohnson252/status/1545033843480084482?s=20&t=3BGO16M9JOP-R4WUpm2mZA
Poll conducted yesterday and this morning.
Zahawi – Starmer: Starmer ahead by 13%
Javid – Starmer: Starmer ahead by 3%
Hunt – Starmer: Starmer ahead by 13%
Wallace – Starmer: Starmer ahead by 11%
Truss – Starmer: Starmer ahead by 12%
Mordaunt – Starmer: Starmer ahead by 15%
Sunak – Starmer: Sunak ahead by 1%
B.S. Fairman says:
“Pointless BoJo fact: He was born in New York and was therefore an American citizen from birth.”
The Republicans’ 2024 presidential candidate?
You know it makes sense!
Boris Johnson must not be allowed to stay as caretaker PM, John Major tells 1922 Committee
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/boris-johnson-caretaker-john-major-1922-b2118028.html
B.S. Fairman says:
‘The whole “Boris” character is an act. He is known to his family and friends as “Al” from his actual name of Alexander.’
And his paternal grandfather’s family name was Kemal.
Interesting to contemplate how his journalistic and political career might have played out under the name ‘Al Kemal’.
Redfield & Wilton Strategies
@RedfieldWilton
Largest lead for Labour since mid-January.
Westminster Voting Intention (7 July):
Labour 43% (+2)
Conservative 31% (-4)
Liberal Democrat 12% (+1)
Green 7% (+2)
Scottish National Party 3% (–)
Reform UK 2% (-4)
Other 3% (+2)
Changes +/- 3 July
Interesting ….
Redfield & Wilton Strategies
@RedfieldWilton
On Monday, Labour was 6% ahead of the Conservatives in our Westminster Voting Intention Poll.
With Boris Johnson resigning, how will that have shaken things up?
Follow us @RedfieldWilton
to be the first to find out at 5 pm!
The Guardian view on Boris Johnson’s resignation: good riddance — Editorial
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/jul/07/the-guardian-view-on-boris-johnsons-resignation-good-riddance
‘Bailiffs for Boris’: PM’s death throes produce bumper crop of memes
https://www.theguardian.com/media/2022/jul/07/boris-johnson-memes-resignation-latest
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Ray (UK)says:
Friday, July 8, 2022 at 3:08 am
POLL: Keir Starmer beats every major Tory leadership candidate apart from Sunak. [J.L. Partners]
https://twitter.com/jamesjohnson252/status/1545033843480084482?s=20&t=3BGO16M9JOP-R4WUpm2mZA
Poll conducted yesterday and this morning.
Zahawi – Starmer: Starmer ahead by 13%
Javid – Starmer: Starmer ahead by 3%
Hunt – Starmer: Starmer ahead by 13%
Wallace – Starmer: Starmer ahead by 11%
Truss – Starmer: Starmer ahead by 12%
Mordaunt – Starmer: Starmer ahead by 15%
Sunak – Starmer: Sunak ahead by 1%
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I don’t believe this poll. Only one and that too Sanak beats Starmer is not believable.
Why is ‘Mavis’ favourite Rees-Mogg not in this poll
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Ray (UK)says:
Friday, July 8, 2022 at 3:29 am
Redfield & Wilton Strategies
@RedfieldWilton
Largest lead for Labour since mid-January.
Westminster Voting Intention (7 July):
Labour 43% (+2)
Conservative 31% (-4)
Liberal Democrat 12% (+1)
Green 7% (+2)
Scottish National Party 3% (–)
Reform UK 2% (-4)
Other 3% (+2)
Changes +/- 3 July
”
You are looking at the poll in a incorrect way. It should say still 31% people are going to vote for Tories after what happened in last 3 years. 🙂
Ven @ #116 Thursday, July 7th, 2022 – 11:24 pm
Pretty much the Tory floor Ven
They got 31% in 1997 after 18 years of Thatcher and Major
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Ray (UK)says:
Friday, July 8, 2022 at 8:35 am
Ven @ #116 Thursday, July 7th, 2022 – 11:24 pm
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Ray (UK)says:
Friday, July 8, 2022 at 3:29 am
Redfield & Wilton Strategies
@RedfieldWilton
Largest lead for Labour since mid-January.
Westminster Voting Intention (7 July):
Labour 43% (+2)
Conservative 31% (-4)
Liberal Democrat 12% (+1)
Green 7% (+2)
Scottish National Party 3% (–)
Reform UK 2% (-4)
Other 3% (+2)
Changes +/- 3 July
”
You are looking at the poll in a incorrect way. It should say still 31% people are going to vote for Tories after what happened in last 3 years.
Pretty much the Tory floor Ven
They got 31% in 1997 after 18 years of Thatcher and Major
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Ray
Like them or loathe atleast they really believed they thought they were for the betterment of UK.
As a proof you have to look at how Tony Blair governed.
Thatcher even said that Blair was her true heir.
Loathe him or like as long as Blair was Labour leader British Labour won elections. As soon as Brown becomes leader he loses the election to Tories.
Ven at 8.58
Loathe him or like as long as Blair was Labour leader British Labour won elections.
_____________
I am a bit of a Blair fan. I think the Good Friday Accords have saved many, many lives in Northern Ireland. I think he made one major stuff-up: getting into bed with Bush Jnr on Iraq.
Loathe him or like as long as Blair was Labour leader British Labour won elections. As soon as Brown becomes leader he loses the election to Tories.
Yeah but you can’t discount that Labour was at the end of a long tenure in power. Brown made missteps on the campaign though. Gordan Brown’s biggest gaffe was calling a Labour voter a bigot with his microphone still on. Brown apologised to her but the damage had been done.
Tony Blair is an awkward figure for the Labour party. Because while the Tories hold Margaret Thatcher dear to their hearts some in the Labour party don’t know what to think of Blair. The reason for this is Blair ignored the Left in the party and pushed through to support the war in Iraq. Some in the media has suggested the party needs to get over it. And instead of scrapping all of Blair’s Prime ministership, take what worked out of it (introduced minimum wage, civil partnership act, support for pensioners etc) and discard what didn’t (Iraq).
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Political Nightwatchmansays:
Friday, July 8, 2022 at 10:20 am
Loathe him or like as long as Blair was Labour leader British Labour won elections. As soon as Brown becomes leader he loses the election to Tories.
Yeah but you can’t discount that Labour was at the end of a long tenure in power. Brown made missteps on the campaign though. Gordan Brown’s biggest gaffe was calling a Labour voter a bigot with his microphone still on. Brown apologised to her but the damage had been done.
”
Gordon Brown reminds me of John Brumby and to an extent Alan Carpenter. People who replaced successful leaders
None of the frontrunners for the leadership have yet declared their intention to stand, but No 10 sources expect 11 or more candidates to emerge with Rishi Sunak, Ben Wallace, Liz Truss, Sajid Javid, Penny Mordaunt and Jeremy Hunt among those weighing up whether to seek the job.
Tory backbencher Tom Tugendhat became the first contender to throw his hat into the ring late on Thursday. Writing in The Daily Telegraph, he said: “I am putting together a broad coalition of colleagues that will bring new energy and ideas to government and, finally, to bridge the Brexit divide that has dominated our recent history.”
https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/at-least-11-tories-consider-leadership-bid-after-boris-johnson-resigns-and-scraps-plan-to-cut-taxes-1731397
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Holdenhillbillysays:
Friday, July 8, 2022 at 12:20 pm
None of the frontrunners for the leadership have yet declared their intention to stand, but No 10 sources expect 11 or more candidates to emerge with Rishi Sunak, Ben Wallace, Liz Truss, Sajid Javid, Penny Mordaunt and Jeremy Hunt among those weighing up whether to seek the job.
Tory backbencher Tom Tugendhat became the first contender to throw his hat into the ring late on Thursday. Writing in The Daily Telegraph, he said: “I am putting together a broad coalition of colleagues that will bring new energy and ideas to government and, finally, to bridge the Brexit divide that has dominated our recent history.”
https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/at-least-11-tories-consider-leadership-bid-after-boris-johnson-resigns-and-scraps-plan-to-cut-taxes-1731397
”
Is Rees-Mogg expecting to do Steven Bradbury?
While it has been widely reported that Boris Johnson has resigned as the United Kingdom’s prime minister, he has instead resigned as leader of the Conservative Party. Johnson has stated he will remain in office as prime minister until a new party leader is chosen.
As the Conservative Party’s leadership process is long and involved, Johnson could conceivably remain prime minister for months. This is problematic, as 59 ministers and parliamentary secretaries have already resigned.
This raises two possibilities. Either there will be major disruption in government, with a new ministry comprised of the remnants of the Conservative Party MPs who are prepared to work with Johnson, resulting in an influx of inexperienced short-term ministers. Or we will see ministers who have previously resigned due to their lack of confidence in the prime minister returning to office to serve for months under a man they don’t trust or respect. Neither is a recipe for good government.
https://theconversation.com/why-is-boris-johnson-still-uk-prime-minister-and-how-might-he-be-replaced-186631
Its a problem with processes that include the party membership. May-Johnson took 6 weeks. They are hoping to shorten it a bit, mainly by expressing the (probably forlorn) hope that the likely loser of the top two concedes rather than making everybody wait 3 weeks for a foregone conclusion.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has emerged as the new favourite to replace Boris Johnson as prime minister.
According to Sky Bet, Mr Wallace is at the top, his odds shortening from 6/1 just 24 hours ago.
He is followed by Rishi Sunak and Tom Tugendhat – whose odds have halved from 12/1 since yesterday.
These are the latest odds for the next Tory leader:
Ben Wallace – 5/2
Rishi Sunak – 4/1
Tom Tugendhat – 6/1
Penny Mordaunt – 13/2
Liz Truss – 10/1
Sajid Javid – 11/1
Jeremy Hunt – 14/1
Nadhim Zahawi – 14/1
Steve Baker – 18/1
Michael Gove – 25/1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKrLBPmRsrM