Shapps defends the PM after boos from jubilee church service crowds

UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has shrugged off boos directed at Boris Johnson when he attended a service for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

The Tory minister said he does not believe the prime minister will face a confidence vote this coming week but expects him to win it should there be one.

Mr Shapps’ backing comes as speculation mounts over whether the prime minister could face a crunch vote on his premership as soon as Wednesday.

The Tory MP told the BBC’s Sunday Politics that people are “overinterpreting” the boos directed at Mr Johnson on Friday.

He said “politicians don’t expect to be popular all the time” and added that, although he was not there in person, he heard people booing and people cheering.

Mr Shapps added: “I think it’s best to get on with the people at hand – running the country – rather than being overly distracted by the clips that you played.”

He also pointed at boos aimed at former chancellor George Osborne at the London 2012 Paralympics.

This preceded the Conservatives winning the following general election in 2015.

He said: “I think you’re rather over-interpreting, if you don’t mind me saying.”

Mr Johnson and his wife, Carrie, were jeered as they stepped out of their car when it pulled up at St Paul’s Cathedral in London on Friday for the Jubilee thanksgiving service.

New polling suggests the Conservatives risk losing a key electoral test this month by a significant margin.

A survey of voters in the battleground constituency of Wakefield, who will go to the polls on June 23 to elect a new MP, has suggested the Tories could lose the by-election by as much as 20 points.

A by-election will be held on the same day in Tiverton and Honiton, which was called after Tory MP Neil Parish resigned over his viewing of pornography in the Commons.

Asked if he believes there is going to be a vote of no confidence in Mr Johnson this week, Mr Shapps said: “No, I don’t…actually in the round when people judge Government by the general election, rather than midterm where it’s not unusual to see polling like this, actually people make a decision about whether you’ve delivered and done a good for the country as a whole.

“I’m absolutely certain, with some of these huge decisions, sorting out Brexit, getting through coronavirus, seeing the largest growing economy last year, these are decisions and actions which will in the end matter to people.”

Asked if Mr Johnson would win a vote of confidence, Mr Shapps said: “Yes, he will.”

A no confidence vote will be triggered if 54 letters of no confidence in the prime minister are submitted to Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of the 1922 Committee of backbench Tories.

The Sunday Times reports that as many as 67 had gone in which, if correct, would mean the threshold had been reached.

The rebels would need 189 voters to remove the prime minister.

JEER WE GO: Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie were booed by some members of public as they attended St Paul’s Cathedral.