THE question raging through the corridors of Westminster since Monday night is should Boris Johnson stay or go?
Former Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, who lost out to the Prime Minister in the 2019 leadership battle, had said the Tories must “change or lose”.
But 211 backed Boris, with 148 voting against him, in a Tory confidence vote.
Away from the fallout of the PM’s tight victory, what is the attitude among Conservative voters?
We speak to Sun readers who backed Boris at the most recent General Election to see what they think about BoJo’s future.
Sarah Schofield, from true blue Wilmslow in Cheshire, 33, said: “He should definitely stay.
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“I am convinced that the no-confidence vote was based around Brexit. Boris needs to stay and see Brexit through.”
The saleswoman added: “Mind you, I would like to see some tax cuts in the future to help with the cost of living.
“Tax is too high at the moment and we all need help.”
Sheila Sach, 82, also from Wilmslow, said: “Boris should definitely stay as Prime Minister.
“We need to put Partygate behind us and get on with things.”
The retired secretary added: “The cost of living needs sorting out. The Tories need to get behind Boris and move on.”
And railway designer Gerald West, also 82, said: “Boris is doing a brilliant job. He should definitely stay as Prime Minister.
“He is one of the few world leaders standing up to Russia’s president Vladimir Putin by helping Ukraine. He needs to finish the job.”
Gerald, who worked on Manchester’s Metrolink tram system and British Rail’s APT tilting trains, added: “Everyone needs to move on from Partygate.”
Tory voter Lawrence Savory — also from Wilmslow, where Conservative MP Esther McVey has a 17,000 majority — has become fed up with all the political scandals.
Lawrence, 56, said: “I wouldn’t vote for Boris now, although I’m not sure I’d vote for any of them. It’s all become a bit of a soap opera.”
The furniture businessman added: “Boris is the entertainer and charismatic leader of the party and I think that’s why they have turned on him.”
Andrew Travers from Sutton Coldfield, in the West Midlands, said: “He needs to carry on. I voted Tory last time.
“Boris has got a tough job. Nobody has had what he’s had to put up with.”
The 65-year-old, who is retired, added: “I haven’t got loads of money. They’ve given a fair amount of money away. It all helps.
“My partner worked for the NHS when Jeremy Hunt was the health secretary and she doesn’t like him. He can go.
“All these MPs that have voted against Boris are wrecking it. They are just worried about losing their seat.
“The Labour party are hopeless. There’s too much union and they want to nationalise this and that.”
CHARISMATIC LEADER
Crystal Waldron, 57, of Sutton Coldfield, where former Tory chief whip Andrew Mitchell is the MP, said: “The last four years I’ve voted for the Conservative party but before that I was Labour.
“I will still back them but I am basing my opinion on my belief they will get Boris out before the next election.
“Everything done in the dark is going to come to the light. If he made serious and real donations to registered charities it would make up for it.”
She added: “I don’t like Jeremy Hunt. I just think he is a follower and I don’t believe his passion is politics. I don’t think he’s passionate enough.”
Unemployed Andrew Langley, 56, from Marlow, Bucks, said: “I always vote Conservative and have since I was 18.
“I would like to see Boris stay in. He’s a decent bloke doing a good job. I think Jeremy Hunt should move to another political party.”
Andrew, whose MP Joy Morrissey is a private secretary to the Prime Minister, added: “Regarding the tax cuts Boris announced, cutting the National Insurance increase would help.”
Sandra Mowbray, 82, who sells crafts at markets, said: “The people that voted to keep Boris in are really voting for their own jobs.
“Boris has had his good points, but even if he wasn’t at the drinks party, his behaviour was unacceptable.
“For him to get my vote in the next election he needs to stop lying. He also should focus on the NHS.
“I have sufficient money but they’re putting pensions up across the board — why? I already get a £300 fuel allowance because I’m elderly and living alone. I don’t need any more fuel allowance, so give it to the people that need it.”
Sandra lives in Sandhurst, Berks, whose MP is Tory James Sunderland.
She added: “The Conservatives will probably have my vote at the next election because my local MP is good.”
Gran Sarah Ratcliffe, 66, from Wilmslow, said: “Boris has seen us through some terrible crises through Covid, Ukraine and the cost of living.
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“He has done a good job with those so we all need to stick by him.
“However the cost of living is starting to bite and I think all this no-confidence vote was caused by the war in Ukraine with prices going up.”
