UK Gov’t Tables No-Confidence Motion in Itself With UK's Johnson ‘to Open Debate’ on 18 July
07:28 GMT 14.07.2022 (Updated: 15:20 GMT 28.05.2023)
© AFP 2023 / DANIEL LEAL
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On Tuesday, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said he wanted to hold a "no confidence" vote in Boris Johnson and the government to prevent the caretaker PM from "clinging on for a few months", after Johnson's own MPs forced him to announce his resignation.
The UK government has tabled a no-confidence motion in itself after blocking an earlier similar bid by the Labour Party which also mentioned Boris Johnson in its wording, reported Sky News.
Johnson stepped down as Tory leader on 7 July, putting in motion a leadership race. But he said he would remain as PM until his successor was announced on 5 September.
"Labour were given the option to table a straightforward vote of no confidence in the government in keeping with convention. However, they chose not to,” a government spokeswoman was cited as saying.
‘Playing Politics’
The opposition’s motion had been tabled on Tuesday, with a vote expected to take place on Wednesday.
"This House has no confidence in Her Majesty's Government while the Rt Hon Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip [Boris Johnson] remains Prime Minister," Labour’s motion read.
Opposition leader Sir Keir Starmer explained the need for a no-confidence vote in Johnson and his government to prevent the caretaker PM from "clinging on for a few months" after Johnson's own MPs had forced him to resign in the wake of the latest scandal.
"We have put down a vote of no confidence, and challenged any Tory MP who in the past few days has said 'I can't serve Boris Johnson because you can't trust a word the man says'. Can they really vote to say he should stay in power for another few weeks?" Starmer said.
However, Downing Street blocked the move, saying it would allow time for a vote of no-confidence in the government, but not the PM.
In accordance with parliamentary conventions, ministers should ‘allow time for MPs to vote on a motion’ from the official opposition on lack of confidence in the government.
“[Labour] have chosen to play politics by tabling a vote of no confidence in the government and the prime minister. As the prime minister has already resigned and a leadership process is underway we do not feel this is a valuable use of parliamentary time. Should Labour amend their motion appropriately, they can have the next business day for it to be debated," Downing Street stated.
Further explaining the motion for a confidence vote in the government on 18 July, the government spokeswoman added that No 10 had tabled a motion which gives the House the opportunity to decide whether it has confidence in the government.
"The government will always allow time for appropriate House matters while ensuring that it delivers parliamentary business to help improve people's everyday life," the spokeswoman for No 10 said.
According to the PM’s press secretary, Johnson intended to open the debate ahead of the vote on Monday. It was also added that Labour’s own motion was “not good use of parliamentary time”.
‘Brazen Hypocrisy’
The Labour Party immediately accused the government of "running scared", claiming Tories were "changing the rules to protect their own dodgy mates".
"The motion that we tabled was in order, the clerks ruled it in order, we had precedent based on the 1965 vote of no confidence with Ted Heath and Harold Wilson. If the government wants to table a different motion, that's obviously up to them,” a Labour spokesman was quoted as saying, adding:
"But what's clear is that the government was concerned it would lose the vote on the motion that we had put forward, otherwise why are they putting forward this alternative motion on Monday? We look forward to the dozens of Conservative MPs who have already expressed in writing that they have no confidence in Boris Johnson, to vote accordingly next week because to do anything else would be brazen hypocrisy."
'He's disgraced. He doesn't enjoy the confidence of this House and if he simply tries to prevent the House coming to that decision, it's because he's a coward'@RhonddaBryant attacks @BorisJohnson for rejecting a vote of no confidence in the government https://t.co/okW5bKdIp0 pic.twitter.com/55T1RBfnto
— ITV News Politics (@ITVNewsPolitics) July 12, 2022
If Labour's original no-confidence motion was passed by MPs, Johnson’s immediate removal from office could potentially have triggered a general election.
However, according to cited Labour sources, the opposition was only seeking to oust Johnson. To secure the simple majority in parliament needed for the move to succeed, Labour would have required the support of some Tory MPs.
However, now that the race for the Conservative Party leadership is underway, with a new PM to be named on 5 September, the previously vociferous chorus of dissent against Johnson has reportedly grown quieter.
According to analysts cited by UK media, Tory MPs are more likely to back the government's motion on Monday as it is worded in a manner that will not constitute an endorsement of Johnson.
