Boris Johnson to remain UK PM, wins no-confidence vote over 'partygate' scandal
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London: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday, 6 June, survived the no-confidence vote against him over 'partygate' scandal, initiated by MPs of his own political party.
He won the no-confidence vote by 211 to 148 votes. A total of 359 votes were cast, of which 211 MPs expressed confidence in PM Johnson, while 148 Conservative lawmakers voted to remove him.
Johnson described the victory as a "decisive result" meaning that "as a government, we can move on and focus on the stuff that I think really matters to people".
"We can focus on what we're doing to help people with the cost of living, what we're doing to clear the COVID backlogs, what we're doing to make streets and communities safer by putting more police out," said Johnson.
Boris Johnson faced the most daunting test of his prime ministership as he faced a no-confidence vote on June 6, Monday. Over 40 Conservative Party MPs (Boris Johnson's own partymen) had demanded that PM Johnson resign after he and his staff members held parties at 10 Downing Street during Covid lockdowns.
The scandal known as 'partygate' mounted pressure on PM Johnson even during his India visit.
As the criticism over the partygate scandal continued, as many as 54 MPs from the Conservative Party sought his resignation. With this, the 15 percent requirement for a trust vote was met, and a ballot was held to decide PM Johnson's future.
In the first reaction from the government to the vote, education minister Nadhim Zahawi said it was time to draw a line under questions on Boris Johnson's future.
"The Prime Minister won handsomely. I think the important thing to remember is that we only are able to deliver if we are united. I hope we can draw a line under this now and focus on delivery," Zahawi told Sky News.