Boris Johnson faces new Tory rebellion after by-election losses

Two Tory MPs who have been critical of Boris Johnson say they may stand for election to the committee which runs the party’s leadership elections.

The move follows the party losing by-elections at Tiverton and Honiton and Wakefield to the Lib Dems and Labour.

Following the results, party chairman Oliver Dowden resigned, saying “someone must take responsibility”.

Mr Johnson has admitted the results were not “brilliant” but vowed to “listen and learn”.

The prime minister survived a vote of no confidence in his leadership earlier this month, although 148 of his MPs voted to oust him.

Under the rules of the 1922 committee of backbench Conservative MPs, Mr Johnson is safe from a further challenge for a year.

But Andrew Bridgen, MP for North West Leicestershire, has said he is minded to throw his hat into the ring and stand for election to the committee’s executive, saying he would “be in favour of rule change and effectively that would be another vote of confidence”.

“The sooner the better. We will only probably have one week left before summer recess and I think we should seriously consider having another vote,” he told the BBC.

Steve Baker, MP for Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, also said he hoped colleagues would “consider allowing him to serve” although he would not comment on changing the rules.

Following the by-election defeats Mr Johnson said he would focus on “delivering for the people of this country”.

Speaking on Friday, Mr Johnson said he expected critics to continue to “attack him” and he “had to take that”.

However, he added he had to “get on with the job of delivering for the people of this country”.

Speaking during a Commonwealth leaders summit in Rwanda, Mr Johnson said there would be “tough times ahead” and people would “continue to beat me up”.

“In the end, voters, journalists, they have no-one else to make their complaints to, I have to take that,” the prime minister told reporters.

The two by-election defeats prompted Conservative Party chair Oliver Dowden to quit saying: “We cannot carry on with business as usual.”

Mr Dowden said in a letter to the prime minister that supporters were “distressed and disappointed by recent events and I share their feelings”.

“Somebody must take responsibility and I have concluded that, in these circumstances, it would not be right for me to remain in office,” Mr Dowden said.

Former Conservative leader Michael Howard said that the party and the country would be “better off” under new leadership.

Lord Howard said cabinet ministers should consider resigning and that party rules should be changed to allow for a new confidence vote in the prime minister.

Cabinet ministers including Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries and Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab have given Mr Johnson their backing.

Asked if he had full confidence in the prime minister’s ability to win the next election, Health Secretary Sajid Javid said: “Boris Johnson is our leader, is the PM and he will be taking us into the next election.”