Allies abandon Boris Johnson as Tory mutiny falls flat

Backing for former PM evaporates after he quits — and he is unlikely to seek a new seat.

Boris Johnson, on being told that the government would not whip Tory MPs to vote against the sanction, said: “I’m f..ked”. Picture: AFP

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak appears to have faced down a rebellion orchestrated by Boris Johnson, whose fury was threatening to propel the Conservative Party into civil war.

Mr Johnson resigned as an MP on Friday over “partygate” and his honours list, launching a blistering attack on the government.

Supporters Nadine Dorries, a former culture secretary, and Nigel Adams, a former cabinet ­office minister, also stepped down, leaving Mr Sunak facing three by-elections at a time when his party is faring badly in the polls.

Sources close to Mr Johnson claimed that up to six more Conservative MPs would stand down, but a number of the former prime minister’s supporters quickly ruled themselves out of any co-ordinated plot.

As backing for Mr Johnson appeared to evaporate, former party leader Michael Howard called for harmony. : “We now have an ­opportunity to put all our recent turmoil behind us and unite ­behind Rishi Sunak,” he said.

Tory grandee John Redwood encouraged Johnson loyalists not to resign, telling Times Radio: “I would urge them to think again, those who haven’t made that step yet. And say, ‘Look, we need to make it clear that this party is much better ­together’.”

The turmoil was prompted when Mr Johnson discovered that the House of Commons privileges committee was preparing to suspend him for more than 10 days for having misled MPs about the parties scandal. That would have triggered a ­recall petition in his Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituency in northwest London, possibly leading to a by-election. His anger was compounded when it emerged some of his nominations for peerages had been dropped.

Mr Johnson denounced the committee, chaired by veteran Labour MP Harriet Harman, as a “kangaroo court”. “It is very sad to be leaving parliament – at least for now – but above all I am bewildered and appalled that I can be forced out, anti-democratically … with such egregious bias,” he said.

It can be revealed that:

● Allies of Mr Johnson said he felt “helpless” and had admitted privately “weeks ago” that he was “probably going to jack it in”.

● He was on a flight to Cairo when he was informed by the committee he had been found in contempt of parliament over partygate.

● Members of the committee were said to have been discussing a 20-day suspension before Mr Johnson resigned.

● Extra security has been ­implemented to protect the members since Mr Johnson’s resignation statement attacked them.

● Mr Johnson, on being told that the government would not whip Tory MPs to vote against the sanction, said: “I’m f..ked.”

● Former Tory prime minister David Cameron joked with friends that he had contributed to Mr Johnson’s downfall by ­introducing legislation making it easier to recall MPs and force by-elections.

● The three by-elections are likely to be held as soon as possible, with the process starting as soon as Monday.

Although he failed to whip up a civil war, Mr Johnson’s allies made clear their fury with Mr Sunak. They accused the Prime Minister of being a “dishonourable swindler”, saying he had broken a promise to push through the entire list of honours – claims dismissed as “lies” by Downing Street.

On Saturday night a cabinet minister said the mutiny had “fizzled out”. It is not the first time that Mr Johnson has threatened to lead a rebellion against Mr Sunak that has quickly dissipated. In March, only 21 MPs voted with Mr Johnson to try to block Mr Sunak’s Windsor framework agreement on Northern Ireland. Mr Johnson also failed to stand against Mr Sunak in the leadership election, despite insisting he had the support.

Speculation that Mr Johnson was planning to stand in Ms ­Dorries’s safe Mid Bedfordshire seat appears unfounded, but ­allies did not rule out a return to politics by the 58-year-old.

THE SUNDAY TIMES