As Labour sought to exploit divisions among the Government’s ranks, Tory MPs were told to show support for Boris Johnson.
Conservative whips forced backbench MPs from the Backbench to fill the Commons chamber with Prime Minister’s questions and cheer for the PM, as Sir Keir starmer turned the knife on a string U-turns.
Senior MPs stated, “The whips got everybody in today and that did make an impact,” “We know that the situation is dire, but Labour doesn’t need to tell us.
Rishi Sunak was also a point of unity and nodded along with the PM as he defended his record.
Following revelations by the Daily Mail that senior Government figures blamed the Treasury for the toxic briefing they gave to the PM this week, the Chancellor appeared alongside Mr Johnson.
As Labour sought to exploit divisions among the Government ranks, Tory MPs were told to show support for Boris Johnson by Labour.
According to a’senior Downing Street source, there is a lot of concern about the PM in the building following Monday’s botched speech to CBI. Mr Johnson was then unable for 20 seconds.
This briefing led to Whitehall hunting for the alleged ‘Chatty Pig’.
Multiple sources suggested that Sunak’s advisor Liam Booth Smith was responsible for the No 10/Treasury unit.
Treasury strongly refuted the claim. Booth-Smith was told by a friend that it was not his fashion to deliver damaging briefings.
Many within government think that No 10 is the source of the briefing, which was also hit by infighting.
According to a’senior Downing Street source, there is a lot of concern about the PM in the building following Monday’s botched speech to CBI. Mr Johnson was then unable for 20 seconds.
However, the claims have sparked new tensions between Mr Johnson and the Chancellor. These tensions had been simmering for several weeks.
Yesterday’s row was minimized by the PM’s press secretary, who said that the men had been ‘collaborating well’.
She said that the PM, Chancellor and entire government are focused on achieving people’s priorities.
Dominic Raab, Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom was sent to defend Johnson’s boss. He said that Johnson is ‘on great form’.
He said, “The Prime Minister has an optimistic, buoyant, optimistic, Tiggerish personality and he lives up to his speeches in ways that few politicians past or present have done. But actually, there is steeliness to his Prime Ministership and indeed his staff, and they work together as a group.”
A poll that suggested Mr Johnson’s Downing Street operations was not popular with Torys raised concerns yesterday.
According to the Savanta ComRes survey, Mr Johnson had a net approval rating of minus 14. Labour also had a two-point advantage.
However, Mr Johnson was still rated as ‘best PM’ by 39 per cent – well ahead of Sir Keir on 30 per cent.
Reports that 14 MPs submitted letters of confidence to Sir Graham Brady, the PM to Backbench Shop Steward, were denied by Senior Tories. To trigger a leadership race, 54 letters are required.
Rishi Sunak, who was also in a pointed display of unity, nodded as the PM defend his record
Mail spoke to a senior MP who said that ‘talking about letters was rubbish. One or two might exist, but most people aren’t at this stage. If things get as chaotic in the middle of next years, then it could spell doom for him.
“If he can’t grasp the ropes, there’ll be an uphill struggle at some point.” Red Wall MPs are furious, as they could lose their seats. The cabinet is unhappy with the drifting and U-turns. It’s bad.
A second MP stated that it felt different to the normal chaos.
‘There are three possibilities: either the PM recognises where this is all heading and acts on the need to regroup, reconnect and reappoint an improved No 10 operation; or nothing changes and we slide towards the third possibility, where the parliamentary party gets restless and realises Boris was a great campaigner – but not the leader to take us forward.’
As Sir Keir attempted to capitalize on the crisis, warnings were issued. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull taunted Sir Keir over the negative reaction he’s received since his botched attempt to stop the suspension of Owen Paterson, former minister for lobbying.
As Sir Keir attempted to capitalize on the crisis, warnings were issued. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull mocked the Labour leader for the backlash that he had faced after his botched attempt to stop Owen Paterson’s suspension as a minister from lobbying.
He stated that “The Prime Minister’s routine is falling apart.” His Chancellor is concerned that people will get smarter, and his backbenchers are embarrassed by it. Senior Downing Street officials tell BBC the BBC “it’s justn’t working”. He added, with a mock concern, “Is everything okay, Prime Minister?”
Johnson said, “I will tell you what’s failing. That’s the line of attack.”
Ian Blackford from SNP tried to capitalize on the issue as well.
Johnson was accused of talking about political party issues, when the Scots want to know what the Scottish government is doing.