Sajid Javid just resigned

It is a corrupted move that will start a chain of events that will render the country undemocratic

That chain of events began three years ago with the illegal prorogue of parliament. You seem very unconcerned about that for someone who values democracy so highly

Well, that's what we are working with.

You are missing the point. He won the vote, and shouldn’t need to face another for 12 months

You have a confidence vote - the outcome is accepted by all for another year.
Unless it’s the wrong answer and then they rig the rule change, meddle with the vote and force a continuation of new confidence votes until they get the ‘right’ answer - hardly democratic!!

Op the committee plan to “change the rules” to force another confidence vote.
It is a corrupted move that will start a chain of events that will render the country undemocratic.

Indeed the confidence vote has just happened! Boris won. It looks like ‘some’ people think that it is the wrong answer - so they are trying to fix and corrupt the outcome.

You might think this is a good thing if you hate Boris, but the markets feel differently. It is tanking and with good reason. It is worth considering what it will be like living in a technocratic state……

*It doesn’t

Except it appears the 1922 committee, and if that happens the system will collapse. We will no longer be a democracy - yes it is that serious.

Or doesn’t matter who you vote for - this is really deeply disturbing.

Confidence vote looks likely this or next week according to R4

Starmer’s biggest success is riding on the coattails of a campaign to get rid of Johnson, charge of the lightweight brigade or whatever it was is more befitting Labour

Mikey Smith AT mikeysmith
Well-placed source convinced Boris Johnson won’t quit, even if the 22 change the rules, and he loses a VONC.

Instead, he’ll claim he has a mandate from 14m voters, and will threaten to force an election - but not before deselecting everyone who voted against him.

This was more or less the scorched-earth strategy the PM employed during the 2018 Brexit crisis, which saw him withdraw the whip from 21 MPs who tried to stop him bringing the UK’s fragile constitution to its knees.

That said, he had a somewhat punchier team of advisors behind him at the time…

And others who know the PM well are telling me he’s “done.”

Point is, as William Goldman would say, nobody knows anything.

But if I were planning on leaving any time soon, I wouldn’t bother turning up to the Liaison Committee today.

Should add that this isn’t the first time this scenario has been suggested to me. The first time was a few months back by a former Tory MP, who said “It’ll take him losing an election, and maybe not even then.”

Rob Ford AT robfordmancs
Bear with me a minute on this thought experiment.

Say 60% of Con MPs vote no confidence in Johnson, he refuses to go, and expels all of them. They form a new grouping in Commons "Real Conservative Party". It then has more MPs than the Johnson Con party. What happens?

Lets take it one step further and say Real Con Party elected their own leader, and then announce their leader, who has majority of support from the majority faction in Commons, is the real PM. What then? Who decides who is real PM if there are two candidates with strong claims?

Curious what parliament/constitution tweeps think would happen in this (unlikely, but lets face it not impossible) scenario

MattD82 AT JohnvOhlen
Vote of confidence in the Commons. BoJo loses. Then a new government needs to be formed under a PM who commands a majority. Like they did it in the 18th century. This is not a new scenario - parties are not essential to the working of the HoC.

Rob Ford AT robfordmancs
A lot of responses saying confidence vote would resolve this.Maybe. But who gets to call one? Is it just the incumbent PM? But (a) is Johnson still the incumbent PM if he's lost a leadership vote? On what grounds? (b) What if Johnson refuses to call one? Can anyone else call one?

Nick Anstead AT NickAnstead
I'm not quite sure of the mechanics (now FTPA is gone) but surely basic principle would be like Lloyd-George Liberals and Asquith Liberals after the split?

1. Can anyone form a government? If not...
2. Election.

One other interesting question is who gets the intellectual property (and actual property for that matter)? Who gets to run as a Conservative on the ballot paper? That could possibly end up before Electoral Commission or in the Courts?

Did anyone say it had?

Great that Starmer agrees, quire whether he will be in a position to fight an election remains to be seen…

By a democratic majority, yes

No government has ever had a democratic majority. First past the post doesn’t allow it.

BUT the government haven’t lost the election, it was a landslide victory for Johnson, and yes I rather think that is undisputed!

Starmer agrees with you.

The fairest way to resolve this is to take it the people.

What would not be correct is to have unelected people removing the PM

Isn’t that what happens when governments lose general elections? 🤔

red and this level of interference and corruption will just blindly be accepted by the public you imagine in your wildest dreams?

Johnson will call an election before that happens. Autumn 22 and let’s see what the people have to say….