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Topics: Politics, Boris Johnson, UK News, Coronavirus
Dominic Smithers
Boris Johnson has won the vote of no confidence over his leadership with a result of 211 votes to 148.
Earlier today (6 June), Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of the Conservative Party's 1922 Committee, announced that he had received 54 letters of no confidence in the prime minister.
This triggered a secret ballot among Tory MPs into whether Johnson would continue as the leader of the party and the country. A total of 359 votes were cast and there were no spoilt ballots, with the result meaning more than 40 percent of Conservative MPs voted against Johnson.
Johnson told reporters that he believed the "decisive" result now allowed the government to "move on".
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And when asked about the precarious nature of his future, he said that he was confident and was 'certainly not interested in calling any snap elections'.
"I think it’s an extremely good, positive, conclusive, decisive result, which enables us to move on, to unite and to focus on delivery and that is exactly what we are going to do," Johnson said.
"I see no point in focusing on anything else and I’m certainly not interested in snap elections. What I’m interested in is delivering right now for the people of this country."
The vote came off the back of a rough few weeks – and months – for the 57-year-old, who has been embroiled in a huge political scandal over the behaviour of himself and staff at No.10 during the pandemic.
Earlier this year, it was revealed that a number of boozy parties were organised and held in Downing Street throughout lockdown, at a time when the country was told to 'stay at home'.
Emails sent around staffers encouraged them to bring alcohol and be careful so as to avoid being spotted by cameras or the press.
Martin Reynolds, the prime minister’s principal private secretary, was even praised for organising a party and for even providing the wine.
In a message to an advisor in May 2020, he seemed to brag about 'getting away' with one event.
He said: "Best of luck – a complete non story but better than them focusing on our drinks (which we seem to have got away with)."
Following a public outcry, the Metropolitan Police launched an investigation into 12 events that took place between 2020 and 2021.
Despite telling the House of Commons that all guidance was followed and there were 'no parties', Johnson himself was fined by police over his own birthday party in June 2020.
Sue Gray's report into 'Partygate' also made a number of shocking revelations about No.10 and the culture of rule-breaking throughout the pandemic.
Last month, she published her report, sharing photos of Johnson making a toast at the leaving party of one of his top aides, Lee Cain, in November 2020.
She also revealed stories of employees being rude to cleaners and security staff, as well as one person vomiting, and two being involved in an altercation.
The report also claimed that a karaoke machine was brought in so staff could enjoy a sing-along.
"The events I investigated were attended by leaders in govt," it said. "Many of these events should not have been allowed to happen.
"Senior leadership at the centre, both political and official, must bear responsibility for this culture."
Defending the photo of himself attending leaving drinks, which took place when the public was told stay at home and not to see dying relatives, Johnson said he felt it was 'right' of him to say goodbye.
"I know that some people will think it was wrong to even do that. I have to say I respectfully disagree, I think it was right," he said.
"When people who were working very hard, for very long hours, when they are giving up a huge amount to serve their country, and they are moving on to some other part of government or leaving government service altogether, I think it is right to thank them.
"I repeat what I said in the Commons earlier on, I believe that they were work events, part of my job, and that view appears to be substantiated by the fact that I wasn’t fined for those events."
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