PM defends record as rebels mount drive to change 1922 rules

BORIS Johnson yesterday insisted the Government is doing an ‘exceptional’ job – as backbench Tory plotters stepped up efforts to remove him.

The Prime Minister sparked disbelief among his Tory opponents at the weekend by revealing he hopes to stay in power until the mid- 2030s. Some branded him ‘delusional’.

But Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis said Mr Johnson was serious about staying on for a third term, even as critics try to bring an end to his first.

And Mr Johnson insisted media focus on the Partygate row had distracted attention from the Government’s record. Asked whether he felt last week’s by-election losses were due to his leadership, the PM said: ‘No, because I think that actually when you look at what this Government has done, it is quite exceptional.’

He added: ‘I understand that people are going to want to criticise me, attack me for all sorts of reasons, some of them good, some of them less good.’

Despite the Prime Minister’s public confidence, Tory whips are already mobilising to block another bid by rebels to force him from office. Mr Johnson’s opponents are planning to nominate a slate of candidates for election to the executive of the 1922 Committee of backbenchers this week in a bid to change the leadership rules that allow just one challenge a year.

Under one proposal, Tory MPs would be allowed to trigger a fresh vote of confidence at any time provided 30 per cent of them call for one. The threshold would require 108 Conservative MPs to write letters of no confidence to 1922 Committee chairman Sir Graham Brady – double the current limit.

Speaking to Times Radio, Mr Lewis yesterday warned MPs against ‘fiddling’ the rules, and told critics to accept the result of this month’s confidence vote.

Meanwhile, Theresa May’s former deputy Damian Green yesterday urged members of the Cabinet to rise up against the PM.

He wrote in the Sunday Telegraph: ‘The fallout from this week’s by-election disasters still has a long way to spread.’ It comes as six Tory MPs are said to be in talks with Labour about defecting.

Last week’s by- election defeats are reported to have led to a revival of interest from Red Wall MPs who fear they are going to lose their seats. Labour sources claim at least one new Tory MP has joined those already in talks with the party.

EVER since russia launched its evil war in Ukraine, Boris Johnson has been at the forefront of the world’s response.

While EU leaders dawdled, we trained Ukranian fighters to defend their country. Thanks to missiles that we provided, countless russian tanks now lie twisted, smouldering wrecks.

Mr Johnson led the way again at yesterday’s G7 summit, urging his fellow global leaders not to waver by encouraging Ukraine to accept a bad peace deal.

But while vladimir Putin’s rockets rained down on Kyiv, back in Westminster the Prime Minister’s rebellious backbenchers continued to indulge in navel gazing.

Having failed to dislodge Mr Johnson three weeks ago, they’re now seeking to tinker with party rules which will allow them to hold another no-confidence vote in the coming weeks.

Meanwhile, six red Wall MPs are said to be considering defecting to Labour in a shameless bid to cling on to their seats.

The consequences of all this unseemly in-fighting for the Conservatives are set to be considerable.

Following Labour’s grubby back-room pact with the Liberal Democrats at last week’s Tiverton and Honiton by-election, Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham is insisting his party further cosy up to the Lib Dems by supporting proportional representation.

Such a system would not only consign the Conservatives to the electoral wilderness. It would plunge Britain into the quagmire of European-style coalitions with Labour propped up not just by the Lib Dems and the SNP (though that thought alone is terrifying enough) but would inevitably come to involve the political ingenues from the Greens and Plaid Cymru.

Those Conservative MPs seeking to remove Mr Johnson should pause to consider that appalling prospect.

Then ask themselves whether it is really a price worth paying.