To hope Johnson doesn't resign?

[LonelyPlanetGirI]

Because if he clings on until the next GE, he'll be completely unelectable and we'll be rid of the Tories.

I'm hoping he digs his heels in just like he always has, even though by rights he should be fucking off with his tail between his legs.

Why would there be a GE ?

it’s a risk for the Tories at the moment

It's been said that BJ could call one rather than resign. His narcissistic personality probably assumes he would still win.

Yes but can’t the 1922 committee could hold a vote of no confidence

it really is better for Labour if he stays as leader

Oh god... BJ's PPS saying 'he's up for a fight. He's buoyant'.

This is getting more entertaining by the hour.

All this "it's me or a general election" should be taken with a pinch of salt. There doesn't have to be a general election, even if Johnson wants one. The PM can only request that the Queen dissolves parliament.

The Lascelles Principles are a constitutional convention in the United Kingdom under which the sovereign can refuse a request from the prime minister to dissolve Parliament if three conditions are met:

1. if the existing Parliament is still "vital, viable, and capable of doing its job",

2. if a general election would be "detrimental to the national economy"

3. if the sovereign could "rely on finding another prime minister who could govern for a reasonable period with a working majority in the House of Commons".

4. is met currently as there is no hung parliament where parties cannot co-operate.

5. is nearly always true for every general election, so is met by default (and some experts believe this condition has been dropped due to its redundancy). Note that it applies to the period between dissolution of parliament and the election itself, not to the period after the election.

6. is met if parliament does not vote for a General Election, and a senior Tory is prepared to be PM. The Queen can appoint that person as the new PM and they would have a sizeable working majority.

For 4,5 & 6 above read 1,2 & 3 - mumsnet messed up the numbering.

if the existing Parliament is still "vital, viable, and capable of doing its job",

It’s definitely not.

BJ is not vital, viable and capable of doing his job.

However, there is a party with an 80-odd majority, so by that simple measure, that condition exists. Of course, I happen to think that the members of that party are slimy cock-wombles, but that is (sadly) beside the point :-(

I really wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t go

but there will be a leadership challenge before next election

It’s expected that there will be another VONC next week following elections to the 1922 Committee on Monday. He’s expected to lose that vote, the question is whether he’ll accept it?

The delay in the vote is unfortunate. We'll be at war with Russia before the end of the week and PM Johnson will stay.

The real question now is whether there will be enough Ministers left to maintain a functioning government, once the exodus is complete. Some departments are very much depleted now, apparently.

And it’s not as if there’s a queue of backbenchers looking to fill those posts. Three-quarters of them voted against Boris in the previous VONO, and more have called for him to go since then.

Boris is running out of friends in Parliament now, that’s his biggest problem.

But who really knows how this will pan out??

VONC, that should have said!!

And even amongst the few who didn't vote against him, they are aware that it would be political suicide to take a job offered by Johnson. Which leaves him really only with total no-hopers like Fabricant and Bone.

If he simply hasn't got a government, really the party has no choice but to bring forward a VONC to avoid plunging the country into total crisis and economic disaster.

It can’t be viable when you’ve no ministers in education
none in levelling up

It isn't rocket science is it, we know it isn't viable at this stage.

Of course he'll go but good for him for not making it easy for the weasels who have turned on him.

Ben Wallace for PM.

Putting his country first!

finally, he's going 😄🤗

Yes I quite like Wallace but think zahawi would be good too. Wonder if quitter Javid will give it a go.

Well boris apologists/trolls, you fought hard but your long war is finally over. Go in God's grace.

Blimey janile we've agreed on something.

I just said on another thread I'd back Zahawi for next PM!

Well, he's just about to 🥳

desperately trying to cling on for another few months😆

If the caretaker stuff is true I've no doubt he's egomanical enough to think he can make another play to stay in till the next election. His brain can't conceive his unpopularity.