Welsh Secretary hails PM’s ‘better than anticipated’ no-confidence vote win
Wales Secretary Simon Hart has argued that Prime Minister Boris Johnson did “slightly better” than expected, winning yesterday’s Westminster no-confidence vote by 211 votes to 148.
The result means 41% of his MP’s voted to get rid of Mr Johnson in the aftermath of the Partygate scandal and plummeting polling numbers for the Conservative Party.
Johnson is theoretically safe from another leadership challenge for a year under the rules of the party’s 1922 Committee.
The Prime Minister’s margin of victory on Monday was smaller than Theresa May, who was forced to leave office just six months after a winning a confidence ballot by 200 votes to 117 in 2018.
Margaret Thatcher won by 204 votes to 152 in November 1990, but was unable to avoid a second vote and eventually stood down.
Complacent
Mr Hart, MP for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire told Sky News: “I think it was slightly better than anticipated – that’s not to sound in anyway complacent.
“Boris Johnson has gone from getting 51% when he was elected as leader to 60% tonight and that’s an interesting movement, if you like, in the voting numbers.”
Challenged that he was comparing “apples and pears”, Mr Hart said: “I would like to say I have been consistent – I’m trying to be as consistent as possible.
“All I’m saying is that we vote on multiple issues, multiple times a day in this building. The rules of engagement are very clear – the person with the most votes wins.”
Six Conservative MPs in Wales said they would back the PM ahead of the vote yesterday evening.
None of the 13 Welsh Tories in the Commons have publicly stated they would oppose Mr Johnson, although one has privately said they would do so according to BBC Wales.
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Talentless sycophant expresses opinion. Is there no beginning to his talents?
Mr Hart. How many of the 211 Johnson loyalists will be left after your pending by election defeats and will you be one of them? Tens of thousands of voters will rectify last nights’ result this month. At that point, your party will have to stop this pathetic nonsense and reset ready for an early General Election in which you will lose your seat because you insulted your constituents by defending the indefensible.
He did not “win” a vote. He lost 41% of his own MPs. This was not “better than anticipated”. They claimed there would be far fewer rebels. It is not a triumph for them. It is a disaster. Even Brexiteers can see this. Nobody is fooled by the incompetent attempts at spin.
Dead clown walking
Mr Hart is fooling no one but himself if he actually believes that the vote was going to convince the people who elected both himself and other members of his party that Boris Johnson is a fit and proper person to hold the office of Prime Minister. That he as Minister of State for Wales has in effect reduced the nation to an underfunded subservient nation will see his own removal from Parliament come the next General Election. His sychophancy may retain him in office for the short term but his record as a spineless Minister for Wales will ensure… Read more »
“Boris Johnson has gone from getting 51% when he was elected as leader to 60% tonight and that’s an interesting movement, if you like, in the voting numbers.” And this after the general election where you were only allowed to stand as a Tory candidate if you signed a loyalty pledge to Johnstone as leader. I guess politics (sadly) is all about narrative.
It’s not so bad really, only 41% of Tory MP’s think that BoJo is a lying clown where as 91% of the public (according to a GMB poll) think that he is. Well I’m convinced he’s a liar.
‘Better than anticipated’? 😲 Was Wales’ governor general consuming mind altering substances when he made that bizarre statement?🤣 Johnson did worse than either thatcher or theresa may did in their leadership votes, and were both out of 10 downing street within a year – johnson will be calling in the removal men by xmas!
Take out the payroll vote and it would appear that about 75% of tory backbenchers voted no confidence.
I suspect Johnson will be gone by the end of the year, forced to resign after bye election disasters and damning inquiries. Every PM who’s had a confidence vote ends up gone sooner rather than later. Even if he survives until 2024 his party will be kicked hard. The Tory party will try and put another head on the monster but there is no hiding the rot any more. The party is doomed. Thank god.
Treacherous Simon Hart is deluded. So 148 backbenchers voting against their leader is perceived by him to be be a positive outcome? He’s blinkered! Hart knows the timing of this vote was deliberately done before the two upcoming by-elections. And he knows that the Tories are going to lose both seats, especially seeing Boris Johnson cannot be challenged again for another 12 months unless the system is changed. So today through gritted teeth watched Boris Johnson make his statement to the media. There was more lies about levelling up Britain, the usual fixed grin and shameless bravado on show, with… Read more »
Wow. If this is what Simon thinks is an encouraging result / what would a bad one looked like ?
Strange times indeed
All media outlets, Conservative central office and just about every political anorak in these islands say that Jobnson did worse than expected but our Vidkun knows better. Scottish tories vote against the serial liar… Welsh tories support the lies, the arogance and the self delusion.
By talking to the press and TV,and backing Johnson, while excusing his lies and lawbreaking,Tory MP’s in Cymru are showing they also lack morals and principles, and they will do and say anything to ingratiate themselves with their London masters. If they had any self respect or principles, they would condemn the lies and lawbreaking of Johnson, not excuse him.
When will these sycophantic ‘Boris Worshippers’ face up to reality? he had MORE negative votes than ANY other PM facing this vote! We want him gone! He is a busted flush!
Sounds like one of Hitler’s generals in the bunker in 1945.