The Liberal Democrats have tabled a no confidence motion in Boris Johnson, and challenged Conservative MPs to vote for it to force the prime minister to step down.
The motion states that Parliament has no confidence in Boris Johnson as he has “broken the Covid lockdown laws his Government introduced, misled both Parliament and the public about it, and disastrously undermined public confidence in the midst of a pandemic.”
The motion been so far been signed by 18 MPs from four parties. These include all thirteen Liberal Democrat MPs, two Labour MPs, two from Plaid Cymru and Stephen Garry from the Alliance Party.
The Liberal Democrats have also written to Leader of the House of Commons Jacob Rees-Mogg, demanding he put the motion to a vote within the next week.
The letter states that it is “unacceptable for the Government to hide behind Sue Gray’s investigation, refusing to answer questions or take responsibility.” It adds that it is “not a sustainable position” for Boris Johnson to have lost the confidence of the public and his own MPs in the midst of a pandemic when trust in the government is so critical.
Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey MP said: “It’s time for Conservative MPs to show where they stand. Are they going to continue to put up with a Prime Minister who lied to Parliament and to the public, who admitted he broke lockdown rules and refuses to hold himself accountable?
“By remaining in Number 10 Boris Johnson is a threat to the health of the nation – no one will take anything he says seriously and that is simply unacceptable during a pandemic.
“Conservative MPs should not only support our motion of no confidence but they should pressure Jacob Rees Mogg to give the motion time for a vote and soon. The country deserves a chance to move on from this deceitful Prime Minister.”