MidlandTories back PM after bruising rebellion
No alternative to Johnson to rebuild trust, claim some
MOST Conservative MPs in the West Midlands remain firmly behind Boris Johnson after the beleaguered Prime Minister survived a confidence vote but suffered a huge rebellion from within his own party.
Tories in the region dismissed suggestions the scale of the rebellion means Mr Johnson’s days in Number 10 are numbered.
The PM lived to fight another day as he saw off the challenge from rebels, winning by 211 votes to 148.
But the number of votes against Mr Johnson was more than many had expected, with his margin of victory smaller than predecessor Theresa May’s in 2018, who resigned within months.
But Mr Johnson’s supporters insist the current situation is not comparable with Mrs May’s turbulent time in office and say there is nothing to suggest he will soon be gone from Number 10.
Most Tory MPs in the West Midlands backed Mr Johnson, including the 2019 red wallers, who have largely remained loyal to him.
And those supporters are hoping a line can be drawn under the partygate scandal, which they believe does not concern a majority of voters, despite opinion polls suggesting the opposite.
Mike Wood, the MP for Dudley South, who supported the PM, claimed it was a “solid result” for Mr Johnson.
He said: “It’s never good to have a vote of confidence but clearly the Prime Minister won fairly comfortably. We really need the Government to focus on the big issues; the cost of living crisis, the war in Ukraine, rebuilding after the pandemic. We need the whole Parliamentary party to come back together now.”
Mr Wood said it was now time to “rebuild trust” with voters and believes there is not a better alternative than Mr Johnson to lead the Conservatives to victory at the next election.
“I’m not sure an alternative would be more likely to win,” he said.
“He has never been universally loved by the Parliamentary party. I think Boris Johnson remains the best person to lead the country and the party. He is still the most effective vote winner in frontline British politics.”
Staunch Johnson ally Michael Fabricant, the MP for Lichfield, said he did not envisage large-scale rebellions in Commons votes going forward: “The result was not as bad as I feared it might be. He won – yes, he’s a little bit damaged but he wasn’t damaged as much as some commentators hoped.
“At the end of the day voters are not going to be concerned whether or not there were parties in Number 10 but whether they are doing better under a Conservative government than a Labour government. There is a big difference
Boris Johnson remains the best person to lead the country and the party. He is still the most effective vote winner in frontline British politics. Mike Wood MP
between him and Theresa May. She couldn’t get legislation through.
“There are rebels all the time in politics. I don’t think all 140 will suddenly decide to vote against legislation.”
He added: “Providing he delivers what people want; low taxes, a stop to illegal immigration, levelling-up, yes I think he will win the election.”
Red wall MP Jane Stevenson, who took the previously safe Labour seat of Wolverhampton North East in 2019, admitted to being “disappointed” by lockdown party rule breaking but after thinking “long and hard”, decided backing the Prime Minister was in the “best interests” of her constituents.
She said: “During the pandemic I hated passing legislation that restricted our freedoms, so I made sure I followed all the rules myself. I am disappointed that some events in Downing Street were clearly in breach of these rules.
“I have listened to the Prime Minister and accept he was unaware of a number of events for which civil servants received fines. I accept his apology for the breaches in Downing Street, and welcome the changes he has put in place since the interim Sue Gray report.
“I still believe that Boris Johnson is the best person to deliver the levellingup agenda that has been so desperately needed in Wolverhampton.”