A leadership challenge could be looming
Boris Johnson has been warned that he could face a by-election disaster after new polling indicates that the Tories could lose to Labour by up to 20 points.
As reported by The Sunday Times, a new poll indicates a Red Wall wipeout as Labour emerged with a 20 point lead over the Conservatives in Wakefield where voters will soon cast their choice on a replacement for ex-Tory MP Imran Ahmad Khan following his conviction for sexually assaulting a teenager.
In 2019, the West Yorkshire seat was secured by the Tories for the first time in decades after voters turned to the Conservative party in droves. However cut to just three years later and with Partygate fines still looming large in the minds of many, this voting trend could soon be set to change once more.
The new poll revealed Labour with 48 points to the Tories’ 28 – marking a 20 point slip in popularity.
What’s more, reports have also suggested that the PM could face a challenge to his leadership, as the required 54 person threshold for a confidence vote nears its required limit.
According to Reuters, while confidential, more than 25 of these required letters are believed to have been submitted so far – with one unnamed source believing that the threshold has already been passed, suggesting 67 letters have actually been submitted.
As per The Metro, an announcement regarding a leadership challenge could arrive as early as Wednesday this week.
Further pressure comes from a Conservative donor who had pledged over £340,000 in financial support since 2010 now demanding Johnson’s removal from office.
“I was a loyal and longstanding donor but can only resume donating if there is an immediate change of leadership. And it has to be now — before it’s too late to avoid a richly deserved obliteration at the next election, followed probably by a decade in opposition,” the source was quoted as saying by The Times.
Polling expert James Johnson further suggested that the results of the recent Wakefield poll were because “Boris Johnson tried to cover up Partygate, and lied to the public”.
Taking to Twitter, Johnson added: “The main hesitations about voting Conservative: trust, Boris, and a sense the Tories are out of touch & only care about the rich.
“All signs are that partygate has crystallised historic concerns about the Tories and turned the people of Wakefield decidedly against them.”
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