Boris Johnsoncould come up against yet another no confidence vote in just six months time, according to a rebel Tory MP.
After the Prime Minister faced a vote of no confidence yesterday following the submission of letters from least 54 MPs to chair of the 1922 Committee of Tory backbenchers, Sir Graham Brady, a rebel Tory MP has now said this morning that the Committee is looking at changing the rules after he survived last night’s vote.
Mr Johnson won the vote by 211 to 148 to remain in his position as Prime Minister.
It was a voting split of 59% to 41% and reveals a substantial Tory rebellion against Mr Johnson, with 148 MPs voting against him, and making it what was the worst result a sitting MP has ever had in a confidence vote – despite him calling it a “decisive” victory.
The result was also a greater proportion of ‘against’ votes than Theresa May faced at her vote of no confidence in December 2018.
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Read more: Boris Johnson wins confidence vote and will remain Prime Minister
The current Conservative Party rules stipulate that once a confidence vote is carried out and a leader garners enough support to continue in their position, then they will not face another vote for a year, however Tobias Ellwood – MP for Bournemouth East, who served as a government minister at the Ministry of Defence from 2017 to 2019 – has told Sky News this morning that he understands this rule is being looked at changing.
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Mr Ellwood – who voted against the Prime Minister – said he understands the heads of the 1922 Committee of Tory backbenchers are now looking at altering the rules so the leader could face another confidence vote within a year of surviving one.
Tory MP @Tobias_Ellwood says he would support a change to Tory party rules that would allow another confidence vote within a year – but for the moment he supports the "democratic outcome". #KayBurley: https://t.co/cLIrKK2gH1
“I understand that’s what the 1922 Committee are looking at, deliberately for this reason,” he told presenter Kay Burley.
“Because if we’re going to have that stay of execution, we are now going to recognise the democratic outcome and support the Prime Minister then let’s give the Prime Minister time to improve – but, methods can be made, the system can be adjusted to mean the current rule of allowing a Prime Minister an entire year would be changed.”
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Mr Ellwood said that while he will support the democratic outcome of yesterday’s vote for now, he would “support” a rule change being introduced.
He continued: “It’s up to Number 10 and the Prime Minister to act on his word that he’s going to change things around and show that we have a chance of winning the general election.”
Following the outcome of yesterday’s vote of no confidence, a Downing Street spokesperson has confirmed that the Prime Minister will bring his cabinet together today to call on ministers to “drive forward progress on the government’s priorities”.
He will also set out his “vision” for the future of his leadership.
This is set to include new policy commitments, such as reducing childcare costs and a “renewed drive” to get more people on the housing ladder, according to the spokesperson.
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In response to Mr Johnson winning the vote by 211 to 148 yesterday, Leader of the Labour Party Sir Keir Starmer said in response on Twitter: “The choice is clearer than ever before: Divided Tories propping up Boris Johnson with no plan to tackle the issues you are facing. Or a united Labour Party with a plan to fix the cost of living crisis and restore trust in politics. Labour will get Britain back on track.”
The choice is clearer than ever before:
Divided Tories propping up Boris Johnson with no plan to tackle the issues you are facing.
Or a united Labour Party with a plan to fix the cost of living crisis and restore trust in politics.
Sir Ed Davey, Leader of the Liberal Democrats, also tweeted in response: “Every Conservative MP who cares about integrity and decency must do the right thing, resign the whip and sit as an independent.
“For the sake of our country, this failing Prime Minister cannot be propped up any longer.”
Every Conservative MP who cares about integrity and decency must do the right thing, resign the whip and sit as an independent.
For the sake of our country, this failing Prime Minister cannot be propped up any longer
Full list of road closures set to be in place for Manchester Day 2024
Emily Sergeant
Manchester Day is back for 2024 this weekend, and the full list of road closures set to be in place has been confirmed.
Now that schools are officially out across Greater Manchester, and the summer holidays are well and truly here, the hugely-popular Manchester Day is making a return once again this Saturday 27 July, and as always, it’s set to be “the day summer officially starts” in the city centre – with a massive celebration of “all things Mancunian” on the cards.
The theme of this year’s annual event is ‘Let The Games Begin’, and it’s inspired by the international summer of sport, just 2024 Olympics kicks off over in Paris.
The day will be packed full of free events and activities to get involved with.
Some city centre roads will be closed on Friday 26 and Saturday 27 July for Manchester Day.
These will include:
🛣️Deansgate 🛣️St Ann Street 🛣️St Mary’s Gate 🛣️Market Street 🛣️King Street
— Manchester City Council (@ManCityCouncil) July 21, 2024
But of course, in order for the all the fun to go ahead as safely as possible, and as tends to be the case for events like these, Manchester City Council says it will need to make some temporary road closures to facilitate it.
The full list of road closures has now been confirmed by the Council, and there’s some major city centre thoroughfares set to be out of action.
Here’s everything you need to know.
Manchester Day is back for 2024 to celebrate the international summer of sport / Credit: Manchester City Council
Manchester Day 2024 – Road Closures
Saturday 27 July
From 6am to 11:59pm, Manchester City Council has confirmed that the following roads will be closed:
Deansgate (Manchester Cathedral to John Dalton Street) – access will be maintained to Marks and Spencer’s car park and Number One Deansgate.
St Ann Street (Deansgate to Cross Street)
St Mary’s Gate (Exchange Street to Deansgate)
St Mary’s Street (Southbridge Street to Deansgate)
Market Street (Exchange Street to Cross Street)
Fennel Street (Corporation Street to Cathedral Street) – access will be maintained for morning deliveries only.
Cathedral Street (Fennel Street to Exchange Square) – access will be maintained for morning deliveries only.
Cateaton Street (Exchange Square to Deansgate)
Barton Square (St Ann’s Square to St Ann Street)
King Street (Cross Street to Deansgate) – no access for deliveries.
All accessible bays, bus lanes, and taxi ranks within the closed areas will also be suspended during from 6pm on Friday 26 July to 11:59pm on Saturday 27 July.
The parking suspensions set to be in place are:
Deansgate (Manchester Cathedral to John Dalton Street)
St Ann Street – including the bays outside St Ann’s Church (Deansgate to Cross Street)
St Mary’s Gate (Exchange Street to Deansgate)
St Mary’s Street (Southbridge Street to Deansgate)
Southgate (St Mary’s Street to King Street West)
Market Street (Exchange Street to Cross Street)
Fennel Street (Corporation Street to Cathedral Street) – access will be maintained for morning deliveries only.
Cathedral Street (Fennel Street to Exchange Square) – access will be maintained for morning deliveries only.
Cateaton Street (Exchange Square to Deansgate)
Victoria Street (Cathedral Approach to Deansgate)
Todd Street (Corporation Street to Station Approach)
King Street (Spring Gardens to Southgate)
South King Street (Ridgefield to Deansgate)
Barton Square (St Ann’s Square to St Ann Street)
King Street West (Deansgate to St Mary’s Parsonage)
St James’s Square (John Dalton Street to South King Street)
Cross Street (King Street to Corporation Street)
Museum Street (Peter Street to Windmill Street)
Marsden Street (Cheapside to Brown Street)
Manchester Day 2024: Let The Games Begin! will take over the city centre on Saturday 27 July from 12pm-6pm.
Check out everything you need to know ahead of the event here.
‘Complex’ Metrolink repairs to the Rochdale via Oldham line could take weeks to complete
Emily Sergeant
Work currently underway on the Rochdale via Oldham line is expected to take several weeks to complete.
Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has confirmed that land movement affecting the Metrolink network near Derker has now “slowed”, and this means that detailed ground investigations and temporary repair works have been able to get underway.
In order for trams to run again on the crucial line from the city centre to the two major Greater Manchester towns, TfGM says that a small section of track has to be moved back – also known as ‘slewed’ – into its original position.
The overhead line poles also need to be repaired too, the transport operator revealed.
Rochdale line update
Land movement affecting the Metrolink network near Derker has slowed, enabling detailed ground investigations and temporary repair works to get underway.
To get trams running again, a small section of track has to be moved back into its original position… pic.twitter.com/byERjitdi1
Unfortunately though, due to the “complex” nature of these works, and despite the fact that TfGM says it’s actively looking to “accelerate” the repairs, the project is expected to take up to five weeks to complete in full.
On top of this, the detailed ground investigations will also establish whether any further work to strengthen foundations beneath the track will be needed at a later date.
TfGM has apologised for the inconvenience caused to passengers.
‘Complex’ Metrolink repairs to the Rochdale via Oldham line could take weeks to complete / Credit: TfGM
Speaking on the scale of works currently underway, and how long he expects them to continue for, Pete Sommers, who is TfGM’s Network Director for Metrolink, said: “I’m sorry for the impact this is having, and will continue to have, on people’s journeys.
“We are working to get trams running through the area again, but this remains a complex and challenging issue and it could still be a few weeks before this happens.
“We will of course keep passengers updated, and I’d encourage people to check our social media channels and website for the latest information and advice.”