Boris Johnson no confidence vote controversy
Speculation ran rife Tuesday around whether or not Prime Minister Boris Johnson would face a vote of confidence in parliament. However, while such a vote remained unconfirmed by Westminster, several media outlets displayed a bias by running headlines under the implication that it would take place.
As more MPs turn against Boris Johnson, how would a vote of no confidence work?
How do Tory MPs trigger a no confidence vote in Boris Johnson?
Full list of Tories who have called for Boris Johnson to quit over Partygate
- This headline is intentionally misleading since there is a distinction between MPs who have expressed publicly that Johnson should resign and those who have confirmed the submission of no confidence letters to the 1922 Committee. The more central ITV news has broken down a concise and accurate list (at the time of publication), here.
Other (more right leaning) publications displayed a more impartial discussion around the probability and implications should a vote take place.
Boris Johnson: Senior Tories bracing for possible vote of confidence as soon as next week
Boris Johnson’s ethics adviser suggests partygate fine may breach ministerial code: Lord Christopher Geidt seeks explanation from PM as no-confidence vote momentum builds
On Wednesday, Dominic Raab said that he does not think there will be a vote of no confidence against Boris Johnson next week, a statement which either encouraged positive or negative headlines.
When asked about the number of letters which had been submitted to the 1922 Committee, Raab said: “I don’t know what the numbers are, I don’t think anyone does. I doubt it’s that high in terms of letters, but the truth is I don’t know.”
At the time of publication, it remains unknown.
Partygate: No Boris Johnson leadership vote next week, says Deputy PM Dominic Raab
Boris Johnson will not face confidence vote next week, insists Dominic Raab
Boris Johnson won’t face no confidence vote and speculation is ‘Westminster froth’, says Raab
- This article sates that: In a series of interviews, Mr Raab said he doubted enough Tory MPs had written to backbench chief Sir Graham Brady to trigger a vote – despite claims the 54-letter threshold had been met. As previously noted: these claims are unverifiable and this is a speculative statement of bias.
- The headline also selectively edited Raab’s statement. He said: “Of course there’s all the Westminster froth – I’m not decrying the importance of the issues at hand but the reality is we’ve got a load of big issues we’re grappling with.”
Boris Johnson: number of letters submitted ‘far off’ amount needed for confidence vote, says Raab
While ITV news initially published an unbiased list of Tory MPs who spoke out against Boris Johnson, they didn’t lead with the statements Raab made to other media outlets, instead running their interview with political analyst and former Tory MP Lord Hayward.
Tory elections guru Lord Hayward predicts no confidence vote for Boris Johnson next week
ITV News
- This headline is not an accurate representation of what Lord Hayward said in the interview. He did not ‘predict’ it would happen ‘as soon as next week’, but said it would be surprised if it doesn’t happen at some point: “Whether it’s soon after the end of the recess (next week) or whether it happens post the by-elections on June 23, or some point in between, I’d be surprised if it didn’t happen.”
- ITV news included Raab’s interview later in the article in which he said “No” in response to whether or not a vote on the Prime Minister’s leadership was inevitable.
The debate continues.
