ONDON — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson faces a vote on Monday that could remove him from power as a growing number of lawmakers in his ruling Conservative Party turned on their leader after months dominated by scandal.
The vote, which is due to be held between 1 p.m. ET and 3 p.m. ET, was triggered after dozens of Conservative lawmakers submitted letters of no confidence in his leadership.
If he loses, Johnson will be out.
The prime minister has caused fury across the country after the revelation of a string of Covid lockdown-busting parties inside his No. 10 Downing Street residence and office over the past two years. He and dozens of others have been been fined by police for the parties — having previously denied breaking any rules.
It is a remarkable situation for Johnson, less than three years after he secured a Brexit deal with the European Union, swept to victory in a 2019 election and garnered predictions that his rule could last a decade.
But the nationwide anger has crucially divided Johnson's Conservative Party, many of whom are worried about polling that suggests the 'partygate' scandal has caused millions of voters to turn against them.Disquiet has bubbled for weeks, but early Monday party officials announced that there would be a so-called vote of confidence in the prime minister held later in the day. Under party rules, this is triggered when 15 percent of its members of Parliament — currently 54 MPs — write formal letters saying they want their leader gone.