Boris Johnson's future: PM holds on as MPs await Sue Gray's report

Boris JohnsonEPA

Boris Johnson's allies say he has seen off a plot to remove him for now but his future could depend on the outcome of Sue Gray's report on No 10 parties.

The senior civil servant is set to publish her findings on Covid-rule breaking in Downing Street next week.

Mr Johnson urged MPs to wait for the report after he was hit by further calls for him to quit.

Tory grandee and one-time ally David Davis told him: "In the name of God go".

And backbench Tory MP Christian Wakeford defected to Labour, describing the PM as incapable of leading.

Speaking to the Today programme on Thursday, Health Secretary Sajid Javid said: "If there were people at the heart of government who were not following the rules they should be disciplined and I look forward to that disciplinary action taking place" but added it was "right to wait for the outcome" of the investigation.

He added that the emergence of stories about parties inside No 10 had been "damaging" to the country's democracy.

Mr Johnson has come in for severe criticism since admitting he attended a garden party held by No 10 staff in the Downing Street garden during the May 2020 lockdown.

Downing Street party row

So far six Conservative MPs have publicly declared no confidence in the PM, but more are thought to have submitted letters to Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the backbench 1922 committee, who organises Tory leadership contests.

There are claims that the threshold of 54 letters needed to trigger a no-confidence vote and leadership election could soon be reached, but no official word has been given.

However, some Conservatives have told the BBC the mood has changed, following the defection of Mr Wakeford.

"I don't think anything could have united us more than watching someone cross the floor like that," said Tory MP Joy Morrissey, who, like Mr Wakeford, won her seat in 2019.

Northern Ireland Minister Conor Burns told BBC Newsnight: "What's happened over the last 24 hours is that colleagues have started to look at what's going on and started asking themselves the question, 'What are we doing, and where is this going?'

"And I think there is a real sense of stepping back and realising that the right thing to do is to wait for Sue Gray's report to then question the prime minister, as he's quite properly said he will come to the House of Commons and make a statement and answer for it."

Tory MP David Davis to PM: In the name of God, go

Richard Holden, the Tory MP for North West Durham, agreed that the mood was "much calmer" and "things are settling down".

But he added to the Today programme: "I think things will definitely come to a head with the Sue Gray report. That's going to be a very important moment."

Businessman John Caudwell - who donated £500,000 to the Conservatives ahead of the last election - said he would like to see Mr Johnson stay on, but added he "either needs to go or everybody needs to get behind him and drive the policies forward that we elected him for".

The PM batted away the repeated calls to quit during the stormy Commons session on Wednesday.

He said he took responsibility for his handling of Downing Street parties but insisted critics should wait for the findings of an official inquiry before reaching judgement.

Later on Wednesday, No 10's press secretary confirmed Mr Johnson would also fight any no-confidence vote by his party.

But Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross, one of those who has called for Mr Johnson to quit, earlier said a no-confidence vote was "near" and "getting closer".

Christian Wakeford said he had "many sleepless nights" over his decision to defect to Labour

Ms Gray's team are talking to the PM's former aide Dominic Cummings, who says he warned the PM that the Downing Street garden party on 20 May 2020 risked breaking Covid rules.

Mr Cummings has also accused Mr Johnson - who insists he thought the party was a work event - of misleading Parliament.

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