- A growing number of Conservative MPs are calling for
Boris Johnson to resign. - Tobias Ellwood and Anthony Mangnall are the latest to go public.
Growing numbers of Conservative MPs are moving to oust Boris Johnson as prime minister as the fallout from the partygate scandal continues to rock his premiership.
Johnson is determined to hold onto his position but a trickle of further allegations about lockdown-breaking parties means the scandal shows no signs of abating.
An update published by Sue Gray, the civil servant investigating the parties, on Monday blamed "failures of leadership" for the multiple gatherings including several that are now under investigation by the police.
Conservative MPs were infuriated by Johnson's semi-apologetic response to Gray's announcement. They also told Insider they were left in "despair" after Johnson invoked a discredited slur against Labour leader Keir Starmer during a Commons debate about the parties.
Several MPs have announced that they have submitted letters of no-confidence in the prime minister, while another — Aaron Bell — has not denied a report which said he had submitted a letter.
The number of MPs who have privately submitted letters is believed to be in double figures. Graham Brady, the Conservative chair of the 1922 committee, keeps the tally under lock-and-key but if the threshold of 54 is reached that will trigger a confidence vote in Johnson.
Here's who has called for him to go so far.
1. Roger Gale
Veteran MP Roger Gale was the first Conservative MP to declare publicly that he wanted the prime minister to resign.
He said he had submitted a letter of no-confidence to Brady last summer following a scandal involving the lockd0wn-breaking behaviour of Dominic Cummings, the prime minister's former adviser who is now trying to bring him down.
Following a shock by-election defeat for the Conservatives, Gale told Insider: "The problem is there is a feeling of lack of control and chaos coming out of Downing Street. Nobody is really in command. And the prime minister is supposed to be running the ship."
2. William Wragg
William Wragg, chairman of the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee, called for Johnson to resign after going public with allegations of bullying and harassment by the prime minister's team.
"A series of unforced errors are deeply damaging to the perception of the party," he told BBC Radio 4's Today Programme.
"The Prime Minister's position is untenable."
3. Douglas Ross
Douglas Ross, the leader of the Scottish Conservatives, called on Boris Johnson to resign after he admitted he attended a lockdown-busting party in the Downing Street garden.
Ross said "his position is no longer tenable" and added: "I didn't want to be in this position, but I am in the position now where I don't think he can continue as leader of the Conservatives."
4. Caroline Nokes
Former immigration minister Caroline Nokes called for Johnson to resign, saying he "looks like a liability" to the party.
"He either goes now or he goes in three years' time at a general election," she told ITV News.
5. Andrew Bridgen
Andrew Bridgen, the outspoken Brexiteer who helped oust former Prime Minister Theresa May, also went public with his calls for Johnson to go.
Writing for The Telegraph, he said it was "clear that not only were rules broken in Downing Street but that the initial response was to stretch the truth about them being broken too."
6. Tim Loughton
Tim Loughton on January 16 became the sixth Conservative MP to call for Johnson's resignation.
He said in a Facebook post: "I have regretfully come to the conclusion that Boris Johnson's position is now untenable, that his resignation is the only way to bring this whole unfortunate episode to an end and I am working with colleagues to impress that view on Number 10."
7. David Davis
The former Brexit Secretary and Tory grandee dramatically called for Johnson's resignation in an intervention that rocked an already chaotic Prime Minister's Questions.
Quoting Leo Amery's words to then-Prime Minister Nevile Chamberlain, Davis told the prime minister: "In the name of God, go."
8. Aaron Bell
Aaron Bell, one of the newest members of Parliament, attacked the prime minister in the House of Commons after the Cabinet Office provided a damning update to its report on parties at Downing Street
He recalled missing his grandmother's funeral to comply with lockdown regulations and asked: "Does the prime minister think I'm a fool?"
Bell has not denied a Sunday Times report that he submitted a letter of no-confidence in the prime minister, although he has not admitted it publicly.
He also backed Angela Richardson when she resigned as an aide to Michael Gove, saying he was "proud to call Angela my friend".
9. Andrew Mitchell
The former Cabinet minister said Johnson had previously enjoyed his "full-throated support." But he said the prime minister's comments in Parliament — which have included denials of parties he now admits took place — left him "deeply concerned."
"I have to tell him that he no longer enjoys my support," he said in the Commons.
10. Peter Aldous
Aldous, an MP since 2010, said he had submitted a letter of no-confidence in the prime minister after it became clear the prime minister had "no intention" of resigning himself.
11. Tobias Ellwood
Tobias, a former Foreign Office minister and chairman of the Defence Committee, said Wednesday morning he would be submitting a no-confidence letter in the prime minister.
12. Anthony Mangnall
Anthony Mangnall became the third Tory MP in 24 hours to submit a letter of no-confidence on February 2.
He said: "Standards in public life matter. At this time I can no longer support the PM. His actions and mistruths are overshadowing the extraordinary work of so many excellent ministers and colleagues. I have submitted a letter of no confidence."
Senior Tories join criticism of Johnson
Several other MPs have strongly criticised Johnson but stopped short of calling publicly for his resignation.
They include Theresa May, the former prime minister, who led criticism of the prime minister last week after Sue Gray published her initial findings into Downing Street parties.
May asked the prime minister: "Either my right honourable friend had not read the rules or didn't understand what they meant and others around him, or they didn't think the rules applied to Number 10. Which was it?"
Bob Neill, the veteran Tory MP, also criticised Johnson after he made a discredited slur against his counterpart Keir Starmer on Monday. He told Insider that his criticism did not mount to a call for his resignation and said he would await the full findings of Sue Gray's report.
Gary Sambrook, a Tory MP who was rumoured to have submitted a letter of no-confidence, on Monday appeared to reverse his position. He announced on Twitter: "I've listened carefully to the Prime Minister today ... how he wants to deliver for my constituents and the UK and I support him in doing that. Let's get on with the job."