Some conservative rebels are using the prospect of an earlier-than-expected election to convince otherwise-hesitant people, noting the low ratings of Mr Johnson’s polls.
A one-page press release driven by some critics of the Conservative MP over the weekend states that Mr Johnson “is no longer an electoral asset”.
His 14 points include a reference to an opinion poll that found that a quarter of Conservative voters wanted Johnson to resign and a statement that the party’s door “will not disappear.” The origins of the note, or the extent to which it is being shared, are unclear, but on Sunday its existence was leaked to the media.
Mr Johnson’s eligibility was a key factor for Conservative MPs to turn to him in the summer of 2019 following the resignation of Theresa May.
But he is now the lowest-ranking cabinet minister, according to members of his own party, and the Conservatives have been harassing Labor for more than half a year, meaning their ability to win the next election is ‘has become a point of discussion.
It is possible that Mr Johnson will face a vote of confidence as early as Monday, with MPs returning to Parliament after a recess that overlapped with the Queen’s platinum jubilee celebrations.
Downing Street and Conservative rebel figures believe that the number of letters of censure presented to the 1922 committee could be close to, or even above, the 54 needed to automatically activate voting, although they also admit to being in the dark.
Only Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of the committee, knows the count for sure. If the threshold had been reached but he hoped the Jubilee celebrations would be over to announce it, Monday would be the first time to do so.