British PM Boris Johnson wins no-confidence vote 211 to 148

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson wins the no-confidence vote, 211 to 148. While the embattled PM has survived the “partygate” scandal and will seek to move on, the vote shows that his authority remains uncertain and his job at Downing Street is still in peril. 

The Conservative party leader came under fire for the numerous gatherings at Downing Street, which flouted the COVID norms while England was in lockdown. Even within Johnson’s party, he is now viewed more as a liability than an asset, despite the PM’s ability to connect with the voters. 

Of the 359 Conservative lawmakers, 211 voted for him, but 148 went another way. Due to a lack of a clear front-runner to take up Prime Ministerial responsibilities, most accounts had surmised Johnson would beat the no-confidence motion he faced. 

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However, the motion is representative of the fissures within the Conservative party. To put things in perspective, this has become a watershed moment for the current PM, who’ll recall former PM Theresa May’s no-confidence results, where the margin wasn’t as narrow. Yet, May was forced to resign six months later anyway. 

Johnson took over in 2019, and since then, he’s guided Britain out of the European Union, grappled with a pandemic, and is now being forced to consider costs of utilities and supporting Ukraine as the eastern European nation’s conflict against Russia continues. The 57-year-old also has to handle spikes in food and energy bills due to this conflict. 

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Ahead of the vote, Johson had attempted to garner support, saying “I will lead you to victory again,” as per Associated Press. 

However, the discontent of the English people with the current PM is clear. When Johnson visited during Queen Elizabeth II’s platinum jubilee celebrations, he was booed by those in attendance. 

Despite the many issues facing Johnson, his support for Ukraine has gone down well since his possible successors share the same stance.