Chris Bryant compares Boris to Trump for 'inflaming' the mob

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The latest scandal prompted by Mr Johnson was his use of a Jimmy Savile “slur” against Sir Keir Starmer in Parliament, which earned him immediate condemnation across the House of Commons. The event persuaded more MPs to call for his head, and the momentum behind a prospective no-confidence vote has only increased as Conservatives distance themselves from the Prime Minister. If enough publicly condemn him and send letters to the 1922 Committee, he could be ousted from office.

Who has called for Boris Johnson to resign?

The Prime Minister is becoming increasingly unpopular within his own party’s ranks, with new Conservatives coming forward with their letters of no confidence every week.

The last week has proved particularly precarious, as two MPs and five aides parted ways with Mr Johnson.

MPs Aaron Bell and Nick Gibb’s addition brings the total number of Tory members now batting against him to 15.

But that growing opposition is split across people who have called for him to step back and others who have handed in letters.

The following nine MPs have publicly declared they will hand in a letter of no confidence to the 1922 Committee:

• Nick Gibb
• Aaron Bell
• Sir Roger Gale
• Douglas Ross
• Andrew Bridgen
• Peter Aldous
• Tobias Ellwood
• Anthony Mangnall
• Sir Gary Streeter

Are there enough letters to trigger a no-confidence vote?

The all-important no-confidence vote can only happen when the correct number of MPs have sent a letter.

The current requirement is 54, meaning that the Tories who have publicly declared the move still need another 45 to join them.

But Whitehall insiders fear the number is much closer than it appears.

Mr Johnson’s allies believe the number is much closer to 45, meaning just nine MPs need to submit a letter to trigger a vote.

His shadow whipping team estimated a more moderate number, approximately 35.

One MP, Sir Charles Walker, said last week that he believed it was “inevitable” Mr Johnson would end up being cannibalised by his own party.

He told The Observer that he would like the Prime Minister to “have some agency” and resign.

Once MPs reach the 54 letters required, they will need support from more than 100 more to oust Mr Johnson.

The 1922 Committee requires a majority of MPs – 180 in total – before chairman Sir Graham Brady can trigger a leadership race.

If they can’t reach this, the Prime Minister is safe for another half a year.

One insider told the I newspaper that “more than 100” could turn against the PM if they triggered a no-confidence vote.

On top of those who have publicly issued no-confidence letters are six more MPs who have publicly called for the Prime Minister to step down.

However, they have either not or are yet to hand in a letter of no confidence.

MPs who have urged Mr Johnson to step down include:

• William Wragg
• Caroline Nokes
• Tim Loughton
• David Davis
• Andrew Mitchell
• Sir Charles Walker

More Tory MPs have condemned the Prime Minister after Sir Keir was mobbed on the street by protesters yesterday.

The leader, emerging from Whitehall on the evening of February 7, was quickly surrounded by protesters labelling him a “traitor” and repeating the Prime Minister’s Jimmy Savile slur.

Conservatives quickly caught on to the similarity in their words and Mr Johnson’s, while shadow foreign secretary David Lammy declared the “conspiracy theorist thugs” repeated “slurs we heard from Boris Johnson”.

Two Conservative MPs took the opportunity to condemn the Prime Minister once again via Twitter.

One was former Tory whip and Skipton and Ripon MP Julian Smith, who called for the “false Savile slurs” to be “withdrawn in full” by Mr Johnson.

Robert Largan retweeted his statement, adding that “words” matter and can echo “far beyond Parliament”.

He added: “Elected representatives have a responsibility to lower the temperature of debate, not add fuel to the fire.”

Neither MP has revealed whether they have sent in letters of no confidence yet.

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