RESTLESS Tory rebels are holding a crunch meeting on Monday to force out Boris Johnson as he tries to cling on to power until October.
Tory MPs fuming at the PM’s aim to stand down in October will try and influence the timetable for crowning their new leader next week.
Boris Johnson has said he will stay on as PM until a new Tory leader is crowned by October
Some rebels want the process to be as quick as possible because once a new Tory leader is chosen, Mr Johnson has to exit No10.
A well-placed MP told HOAR they represent “the widespread view of the party.”
Next Monday the 1922 committee of backbench MPs will meet to vote on a new executive team.
Almost immediately the new team will then have the power to decide on leadership election timings.
Hard core anti-Boris Tories want the race to be as quick as possible.
Other Tory MPs are more relaxed and say the timetable should not be rushed.
Conservative leadership contests take place in two stages.
First MPs vote to whittle down a shortlist of candidates to two people.
Then, all Tory members can vote for who of the final two should be the next PM.
Many Tory MPs want stage one to happen rapidly.
They want the final two candidates picked before parliament breaks for recess late this month.
Tory MP Alicia Kearns told HOAR: “We need to get to two candidates before recess so that the membership can have their say in August.”
HOAR understands many Tory MPs also think the final two candidates should be given several weeks to pitch themselves to the party.
One MP told HOAR: “We need six to eight weeks to see if the top two can handle scrutiny, and what their plans are for the party”.
Tories also say the winner should have a few weeks time before party conference to prepare themselves and pick a swanky new team.
Under current rules an MP needs eight nominations to stand as party leader.
On Monday the new 1922 executive could change the rules and raise the threshold to stop every man and their dog from running.
So far two MPs have confirmed they will stand for leader: backbencher Tom Tugendhat and Attorney General Suella Braverman.
A further ten Tories are expected to announce campaigns over the next few days.
Among them are cabinet heavyweights Liz Truss and Ben Wallace, former Chancellor Rishi Sunak.
A raft of lesser known names have also refused to rule out a run.
Tories are starting to complain that too many people are putting their hats in the ring.
This morning red waller Mark Jenkinson sarcastically quipped: “I have sought counsel from those I can trust to blow smoke up my arse.
“That, when weighed against my own inflated sense of self-importance, leads me to conclude that I should throw my hat into the ring and stand for election as Leader of the Conservative and Unionist Party.”
While Tories argue over timings, Labour has pledged to table a no confidence motion next week if the Tories don’t pick a successor and quickly.
This morning Angela Rayner said: “They do have to get rid of him, and if they don’t, we will call a no confidence vote because it’s pretty clear – he hasn’t got the confidence of the house or the British public.”
If a majority of MPs vote for the motion a shock general election will be triggered.
The Tories will then have to rush to pick a new leader, all while at the same time campaigning to win seats across the UK.
Angela Rayner says Labour will try and force a general election if the Tories don’t get rid of Boris Johnson quickly
Did you miss our previous article…
https://www.hellofaread.com/politics/can-the-queen-sack-the-prime-minister/
