Results of council elections could seal the fate of PM
VOTERS in Exeter, Plymouth and Somerset in the Westcountry go to the polls today in an election that could have a bearing on Boris Johnson’s future as Prime Minister and leader of the Conservative Party.
Most of the rural South West will not be voting in elections to local councils.
But where they do take place, the votes are being seen as both an opportunity to elect councillors to local authorities and a judgement on Partygate and other scandals affecting the Tory Party in recent months.
Mr Johnson will be concerned with keeping the support of his MPs in order to preserve his place in No 10, a Cabinet minister said.
The Prime Minister faces a costof-living crisis, the fallout from his fine over a lockdown-busting birthday party in No 10 and scandals involving Tory MPs, as voters head to the ballot boxes today.
Cornish MP George Eustice, the Secretary of the State for the Environment, acknowledged that “all prime ministers will always be very conscious of the mood in their parliamentary party” in response to speculation that poor results could lead to more letters of no confidence in the Prime Minister.
Under Conservative Party rules, there must be a vote on the Prime Minister’s future if 54 MPs write to the chairman of the backbench 1922 Committee Sir Graham Brady, saying they have lost confidence in their leader.
So far, only a handful of MPs have publicly confirmed sending a letter, with many critics of the Prime Minister holding back due to the war in Ukraine, although results of the elections and any further developments in the Partygate saga could change that position.
Mr Eustice told ITV’s Good Morning Britain: “All prime ministers will always be very conscious of the mood in their parliamentary party because no government can get anything done unless it enjoys the support of the parliamentary party as a whole.
“So of course, the Prime Minister will be thinking about these things. But for now, he’s also making sure that we deal with some of the international challenges like the problems in Ukraine, that we give them the support they need, that we help steer our economy through this period where we’re getting some inflationary pressures.
“And up and down the country we’ve got councillors fighting elections on local issues, things like planning, things like local council tax, and we’re doing our part and the Prime Minister is playing his part to support our councillors in those campaigns for tomorrow’s elections.”
The party leaders were visiting key electoral battlegrounds on the last day of campaigning before voters go to the polls.
Mr Johnson was in Hampshire, while Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer visited Wakefield, and Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey headed to areas across the South East.
There has been little campaigning by national leaders in either Exeter or Plymouth, where polls are taking place.
In Plymouth, the Conservatives are under pressure to keep control of the city council and are facing a strong challenge from Labour. In Exeter, where Labour have control, there is believed to be little likelihood of an upset, but there could be gains by the Green Party in some areas.
In Somerset, voters will be going to the polls to elect 110 councillors to the new unitary Somerset Council – created following the shake-up of local government in the county, with district councils scrapped and a new single tier authority providing all major services created.
Crucial elections are also being held in Scotland and Northern Ireland, with the outcome in each case potentially having a bearing on the future of the United Kingdom if breakaway parties win.
‘All Prime Ministers will always be conscious of the mood in Parliament’ GEORGE EUSTICE