Two Cumbrian Conservative MPs question Prime Minister's future
The Prime Minister's future hangs in the balance, and it's still most likely it will ultimately be decided by Tory MPs.
Two Cumbrian Conservatives have now set out their views on the consequences of 'partygate', in ways that are unlikely to have been welcomed in No10.
Last week, following confirmation that the PM had been fined for breaking covid rules at a birthday gathering in his honour in Downing Street June 2020, the Penrith & The Border Conservative MP Neil Hudson put out a statement saying the situation was "untenable going forward" and he wanted "a leadership election as soon as the international situation permits."
This Tuesday (19 April), Boris Johnson offered another apology in the Commons, before speaking privately to Conservative MPs that evening. Dr Hudson told us on Wednesday though that his mind had not been changed.
He could have embarrassed his boss in a very high-profile manner by mentioning the subject when he was top of the order paper at Prime Minister's Questions. Dr Hudson instead chose to express his "disappointment" at Cumbria missing out on bus improvement plan funding recently. Mr Johnson pointed to some previous investment in response.
Carlisle Conservative MP John Stevenson seems also to have tried not to stick the boot in too publicly, when it comes to the PM's predicament. But appearing on our monthly regional political show Around the House on Thursday (21 April), he told me that he believes "the Prime Minister should submit himself to a vote of confidence" from Tory MPs - after the police investigation ends and the full 'partygate' report from senior civil servant Sue Gray is published. He said he doesn't yet know which way he'd vote.
After Mr Johnson's apology on Tuesday, the Scottish Secretary and Dumfries & Galloway Conservative MP Alister Jack said "the Prime Minister has my full support." Workington's Tory MP Mark Jenkinson also continues to be one of the PM's most vociferous supporters, particularly on social media.
On Thursday, MPs agreed that Mr Johnson will be investigated by a parliamentary committee over claims he intentionally misled the Commons when previously insisting there had been no parties. This story is not going away.
Meanwhile this week, Liberal Democrat MP for Westmorland & Lonsdale Tim Farron used a Ten Minute Rule Bill to argue for a ban on water companies dumping sewage into rivers and lakes in England.
He mentioned a local example of sewage being pumped in the River Lune near Sedbergh for 5,351 hours last year.
Mr Farron was trying to get the issue on the agenda again, rather than realistically looking to change the law at this stage. Although his bill was met with approval from those MPs in the Commons on Tuesday evening, it will not progress any further, because this session of parliament is due to end this week, before the Queen's Speech on 10 May.
Before that, local elections are coming up on 5 May. Check out my reports, and thoughts, on the reorganisation of Cumbria's councils and the political battles to lead the new authorities.