Partygate: Boris Johnson Survives Confidence Vote; Know Why Lawmakers Think It’s a Blow To His Authority

London: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson survived a no-confidence vote on Monday brought by disgruntled Conservative MPs over the Partygate scandal.

Johnson won the vote 211 to 148, winning the support of 59 per cent of his lawmakers.

Johnson, who swept to power in 2019, was under pressure to step down after he and staff held alcohol-fuelled parties in his Downing Street office and residence when Britain was under COVID-19 lockdown.

The UK PM described the vote as a “decisive result”. “We can focus on what we’re doing to help people with the cost of living, what we’re doing to clear the COVID backlogs, what we’re doing to make streets and communities safer by putting more police out,” said Johnson.

But the vote dealt a blow to the UK PM’s authority, with 41 per cent of his lawmakers casting ballots against his leadership.

Several lawmakers said the vote, which saw 148 lawmakers cast ballots against Johnson, was worse than expected for a prime minister.

“Boris Johnson will be relieved at this vote. But he will also understand that the next priority is to rebuild the cohesion of the party,” David Jones, a former minister, told Reuters. “I am sure he will be equal to the challenge.”

Lawmakers cannot bring another confidence vote against Johnson for the next 12 months. But his predecessor Theresa May, despite doing better than him in her 2018 confidence vote, resigned six months later.