PM could face another confidence vote in weeks

MP Andrew Bridgen told GB News that a rule change allowing another leadership vote in is on the cards

TORY MP Andrew Bridgen has told GB News that the leadership crisis is likely to come to a head next week when nominations for membership of the Commons 1922 Committee open.

In an exclusive interview, he told GB News that he would be standing for election and advocate a rule change to allow another vote of confidence in the Prime Minister.

Mr Bridgen said the main question that will face all candidates would be whether or not they were in favour of changing the rules, which currently say that another confidence vote cannot take place for 12 months.

He said: “Well, it comes to a head probably next week.

“Nominations for membership of the 1922 committee open next week, I believe.

“I think the vote will be the week after and I’m going to put my hat in the ring on a manifesto of a rule change.”

He added: “And clearly if a majority of the committee are elected with that mindset, then the rules can be changed.

“If the committee is of such a composition, that would indicate that the party is ready for a vote of no confidence again.”

Mr Bridgen, a critic of the Prime Minister, was speaking in reaction to the loss of two by-elections by the Tories today and the resignation of the co-chairman of the party in reaction.

Asked if he knew of others who would be standing on the basis of implementing a rule change, he added: “I think all the candidates who will put their names forward next week for the committee – I’ve no doubt that the major question is are you in favour or against a rule change?”

On the by-election results, he said: “Ultimately, it’s a very, very bad night for the Government.

“And it doesn’t matter how much you try to play down the fact that we lost a seat that has always been conservative endeavour and had a 24,000 conservative majority only a couple of years ago.”

Mr Bridge also said: “I don’t think there’s a great deal of enthusiasm for Keir Starmer…they don’t find him as frightening as Jeremy Corbyn but there’s no enthusiasm for him and of course conservative voters don’t have to switch to other parties to cause the conservatives to lose elections.

“They merely have to stay at home and not vote at all. This is a form of protest, but it’s tremendously serious.”

He added: “A Labour MP spoke to me this morning and he spent yesterday up in Wakefield knocking out the vote for the Labour Party, who said it came across quite a number of people who had never voted Labour before.

“They were Conservative voters and they actually said that we’re going to lend you our votes to get rid of Boris Johnson because we don’t trust your voters to actually turn out to vote.”