Johnson to face confidence vote: What happens next?

Boris Johnson is to face a confidence vote after a dozens of Tory MPs withdrew support for his leadership.

Critics of the Prime Minister seized on the Sue Gray report into lockdown-busting parties and the Prime Minister’s response to it as the trigger for submitting letters calling for a vote.

But discontent within the Conservative Party runs far wider, with concerns about the burden of taxation and Mr Johnson’s style of leadership also causing unease.

– What are the Conservative rules for a vote of no confidence?

A total of 54 letters of no confidence from Tory MPs, 15% of the parliamentary party, were needed to trigger the vote.

Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee of backbench MPs has received a steady stream of letters in recent days as Tories spent time in their constituencies consulting local parties about their position.

– What happens next?

At least 50% of Tory MPs must vote “no confidence” for the Prime Minister to lose.

But even if Mr Johnson survives the vote on Monday evening, his leadership could be fatally undermined if a significant number of MPs vote against him.

– How does a Tory leadership contest work?

If Mr Johnson is voted out or forced to resign, a leadership contest to replace him as the head of the Tory Party would take place – although he is likely to remain in post as Prime Minister until a successor is in place.

The contest takes place in two stages.

In the first stage, Conservative MPs put themselves forward as candidates.

All Tory MPs then vote in a series of rounds to reduce the number of candidates until only two remain.

The second stage of the contest sees the two remaining candidates put to a vote of Conservative Party members.

Mr Johnson won the leadership contest in 2019 against Jeremy Hunt, following Theresa May’s resignation.