The powerful Conservative Backbench Committee of 1922 has backed away from threatening to change the party’s rules to allow another confidence vote in Boris Johnson.
The group decided it would be unfair to waive the 12-month grace period currently enjoyed by the prime minister before committee elections could be held on Monday.
A committee source said the group did not expect Mr Johnson to remain in power until Monday, as a group of cabinet ministers headed to Number 10 on Wednesday night to tell the prime minister it was time to go.
A delegation of cabinet ministers, a group that reportedly includes newly appointed Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi, is preparing to tell Mr Johnson it is game over after mass resignations of ministers, aides and envoys.
A government source told The Independent that the delegation of ministers included Grant Shapps, the transport secretary, Chris Heaton Harris, the chief whip, and Welsh secretary Simon Hart.
Senior minister and ally Michael Gove personally told Mr Johnson it was time for him to step down as prime minister at a meeting earlier on Wednesday, The Independent understands.
Despite the lack of agreement to change the rules, the committee’s chairman since 1922, Sir Graham Brady, was heading to No 10 to meet the Prime Minister and “offer sage advice” on Wednesday night.
Tory MP Alec Shellbrook said polls for the 1922 committee were open and would close on Monday at midday, before voting took place between 2pm and 4pm on Monday. The result will be announced on Monday evening.
It will then be up to a new chief executive to decide whether to change the rules to lead to another confidence vote, which cannot currently take place until next year after the prime minister narrowly survived last month’s vote.
Mr Johnson is expected to be defeated in such a vote – if he can hold out until next week – after dozens of Tory MPs turned against him or came out against him for the first time in the past 24 hours.
The Prime Minister appears to be facing a losing battle to hang on to No.10 after her handling of scandal-plagued former deputy chief whip Mr Pincher sparked outrage among Tory colleagues.
More than 30 resignations of ministers, aides and MPs followed the sensational exit of Rishi Sunak and Sajid Javid from the Cabinet on Tuesday night.
There had been speculation that Committee 1922 could move to change the rules immediately after senior figures from the group spoke in parliament on Wednesday.
Sir Graham Brady, current Chairman of the 1922 Committee (Victoria Jones/Pennsylvania)
(PA archive)
Robert Halfon, who is a member of the 1922 committee and remained loyal until this week, said: “If there is a vote for a change in leadership, I will now vote for that change.”
Senior Tory MP Gary Sambrook received applause from the Labor benches after calling for Mr Johnson to resign at PMQs.
The Executive Secretary of the 1922 Committee accused Mr. Johnson of trying to “blame other people’s mistakes” and told him bluntly: “Take responsibility and resign.”
Meanwhile, a senior Tory MP has warned Mr Johnson against calling an early general election in a last-ditch bid to save himself.
The backbench said permanent secretary Simon Case and the prime minister’s most senior advisers in Number 10 would advise him against the radical move to go to the polls.
The MP, who did not want to be named, said they had been told officials would notify the Prime Minister that it would put the Queen in a “difficult position” if he asked to dissolve Parliament.
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