Tory rebels more likely to vote against Government again, Boris Johnson warned
Among Tories that joined the rebellion were Bromley and Chislehurst MP Sir Bob Neill
(PA Archive/PA Images)Senior Tory MPs today warned that MPs “blooded” in last night’s record Tory rebellion will be more likely to vote against the Government again.
“The Government is in danger of losing more major votes, including on issues like the proposed cut in overseas aid money,” said a former whip after 55 Conservatives defied No 10 by voting against the stricter three-tier system of coronavirus restrictions that came into force today.
Among London and south east Tories that joined the rebellion were Bromley and Chislehurst MP Sir Bob Neill, former party leader and MP for Chingford & Woodford Green Sir Iain Duncan Smith, plus former Cabinet ministers Damian Green and Greg Clark, who are both MPs for locked-down Kent constituencies.
Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and Streatham Labour MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy were among Labour MPs who voted against the system.
Boris Johnson personally marched up to Tory MPs waiting to vote in the No lobby of the House of Commons to try to persuade them not to break ranks, it emerged this morning.
In a zoom call earlier with wavering backbenchers, the PM appealed to them to “stick together” and launched an attack on Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer as a “political game player” for abstaining in the vote. “Labour have abdicated all responsibility over this,” said Mr Johnson.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock hailed the result as “a huge majority” for the new rules. MPs divided 291 votes to 78 - a Government majority of 213.
Sir Keir stepped up pressure on the PM to publish a Government assessment of which industries are in the greatest danger from the pandemic. Writing in The Times he said MPs needed to see the data. He warned: “If he fails to do so, Labour is ready to force a vote on the issue and give Conservative MPs the chance to join us in flushing out the evidence.”
No 10 has said the assessment mainly contains information already in the public domain. Reports say the “dashboard” held by the Business department labels sectors red and amber if they are in jeopardy.
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