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How is the race to be prime minister set up? Political correspondent Daniel Hewitt reports
Labor say Boris Johnson is “scared” after rejecting his motion of censure on the government, a move the party describes as “unprecedented”.
Leader Sir Keir Starmer confirmed earlier that he will table a motion for the vote to take place tomorrow, which could trigger a general election if the Conservatives lose, but the government does not allow that to happen.
A Labor spokeswoman said it was “unprecedented” for ministers not to allow time in Parliament for a vote of confidence, which the party had been seeking on Wednesday.
But a government spokesman responded, accusing Labor of “playing politics” by presenting a motion of censure to the government and the prime minister when Boris Johnson had already resigned.
“Since the prime minister has already resigned and a leadership process is underway, we do not believe it is a valuable use of parliamentary time,” the spokesman said.
“In the event that Labor amends their motion properly, they can have the next business day for debate.”
Labor, however, said the action represented a “blatant abuse of power to protect a discredited prime minister” and called on Conservative leadership candidates to denounce it.
“This applauded government is frightened and refuses to give time to debate the Labor censure motion,” a spokeswoman said.
“This is totally unprecedented. Once again, the Conservatives are changing the rules to protect their own dubious comrades.”
The government is rejecting the time for a censure vote in the Commons because the Labor motion was not presented in the normal way and added a wording about not having confidence while the prime minister remained in office, understands ITV News.
Sources say the Labor motion broke with the convention, which is why the vote is being rejected and would have been granted if it had been tabled in the usual way.
Labor leader Chris Bryant said Prime Minister Johnson was a “coward” for rejecting the motion.
The news came with Rishi Sunak advancing in the race to become prime minister, after gaining the support of some of his former cabinet colleagues.
Who went on to the next round of the race to succeed Boris Johnson?
Eight candidates have advanced to the next round in the race to replace Boris Johnson as prime minister.
Sunak had already secured his place on the ballot for Wednesday’s vote before the results were announced, by getting more than double the threshold of 20 nominations.
Sajid Javid is the most important abandonment of the competition, with the former health secretary announcing his departure from the competition just before today’s results are known.
In a statement, he said: “I look forward to seeing the debate unfold and seeing colleagues working together as a united Conservative party once the leadership elections are over.”
Commerce Secretary Penny Mordaunt and fund deputy Tom Tugendhat also secured their place on the ballot well in advance, as did Foreign Minister Liz Truss.
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Former Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt got it too, but reports say he had been struggling to get enough nominations and managed to arrive late.
Former Equality Minister Kemi Badenoch and Attorney General Suella Braverman also advanced to the next round, as did Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps left the race on Tuesday morning after not getting enough public support from Conservative MPs to continue, and put his weight behind Mr Sunak.
The prime minister said on Twitter that he had chosen to support Sunak because he has the “competence and experience” to be prime minister.
Rehman Chishti, a newly appointed foreign minister who is largely unknown outside of Westminster, also left after failing to get a single publicly declared nomination.
He tweeted: “I will no longer lead my campaign for the leadership of our @Conservatives party, as I have not been able to get the necessary parliamentary support.”
Now what?
The first official vote on the competition will take place on Wednesday. Any contestant who does not get at least 30 followers will be forced to leave.
If all candidates receive 30 votes, the deputy with the least support will be eliminated.
A second ballot with more votes next week will follow on Thursday until the list of candidates is reduced to two finals, which will then go to a postal vote of party members.
The last two will spend the summer campaigning across the country before the winner is announced on September 5th.
What happened to the Labor censorship vote plan in government?
With Prime Minister Johnson seeking to remain at number 10 until a successor was appointed, Labor had been a motion of censure on the government to try to get rid of him sooner.
But the government rejected the motion for a technical aspect, breaking with the convention: it is understood that there was a problem with the wording of the motion.
Vice President Nigel Evans said he expects the government and Labor to hold more talks on a no-confidence motion.
Labor MPs raised a number of points of order criticizing the government for blocking plans to hold a Commons censorship vote on Mr Johnson and his administration.
Mr Evans responded: “The principles relating to motions of censure are set out in paragraph 18.44 of Erskine May, which also gives examples of motions that have been debated and those that have not.
Erskine May says: “By established convention, the government always accedes to the opposition leader’s demand to allocate a day for the discussion of a motion tabled by the official opposition which, according to the government, would have the ‘effect of testing the confidence of the House.’
“I can only conclude, then, that the government has concluded the motion tabled by the official opposition does not have that effect.
“This is, however, a matter for the government rather than the presidency. I can say that there are seven more days left before the recess and I, as vice-president, would anticipate that there will be more discussions.”
Erskine May, often referred to as “the Bible of parliamentary procedure,” is the most authoritative and influential work on parliamentary procedure and constitutional conventions affecting Parliament.
Opposition leader Sir Keir, who confirmed his plans in the early hours of Tuesday, told his shadow cabinet: “Labor is opposing a vote of censure on this incumbent prime minister and his government. .
“The Conservative party has finally concluded that the prime minister is not fit for office, that was blinding blind a long, long time ago. He is leaving because his own party has concluded that he cannot be trusted.
“Now they can’t let him hold on for weeks, and weeks, and weeks until September 5. It would be intolerable for the country.”
It would have left Conservative MPs a difficult decision to make; many have publicly stated that Mr Johnson does not have his support and should leave, but if they vote with Labor, it could trigger a general election, which many polls suggest the Conservatives would lose.
Voting would require a simple majority to find a winner.
If the vote is approved and the Conservatives vote, it is likely that Parliament will be dissolved and general elections will be called.
Alternatively, opposition parties could try to form a minority government on the basis that they could win a vote of confidence in the House, but that is unlikely.
Who is still in the race to replace Boris Johnson?
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Rishi Sunak, former chancellor
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Nadhim Zahawi, current chancellor
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Liz Truss, Secretary of Foreign Affairs
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Suella Braverman, Attorney General
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Kemi Badenoch, Minister of Equality
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Tom Tugendhat, later banker
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Jeremy Hunt, former Secretary of Health and Foreign Affairs
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Penny Mordaunt, Minister of Commerce