Tories line up against ‘self-serving’ Boris Johnson after conference fiasco

Reuters
Kate Proctor5 October 2017
WEST END FINAL

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Conservative MPs are lining up against Boris Johnson after speculation over his future dominated the party’s lacklustre conference.

Critics said the Foreign Secretary’s behaviour will be debated as part of an inquest into the conference next week.

A member of the Tory 1922 Committee of MPs said: “There were mutterings within the parliamentary party about him making comments before his speech. I think he saved himself by his speech, which showed he still has a huge amount of popularity.

“We will be having a post mortem on Wednesday about all of this. Boris will definitely come up.”

Mr Johnson overshadowed the official agenda by setting out alleged “red lines” over Brexit. He later made a gaffe about clearing “dead bodies away” in Libya.

A senior Tory MP said: “Boris Johnson is in serious trouble. A lot of the MPs feels he hijacked the conference. When we get back next week the conversation will take place at the 1922 Committee.

“I wouldn’t underestimate the anger that has been felt towards him.

"The self-serving indulgent behaviour. We haven’t got a Foreign Secretary at the moment and he didn’t give a speech on foreign affairs.”

Some MPs say there is talk of getting 48 backbenchers to write to 1922 chairman Sir Graham Brady asking him to seek Boris’s resignation.

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