In addition, they mobilized. Steve Baker, chairman of the European Research Group, was leading the push to get rid of Mrs May, aided by other staunch Eurosceptics.
This time, Baker is in the rebel ranks, but according to dozens of critics who have spoken to The Telegraph, there is no central organizing group pulling the strings.
The fact that there is no single faction – and, critically, no single potential successor – that is agitated by the removal of the Prime Minister could end up helping Mr Johnson survive the putsch.
Do the rebels want a mild, moderate conservative like Jeremy Hunt to be the next leader? Or a grassroots favorite like Liz Truss? Or Rishi Sunak’s financial brain?
The rebels themselves are unaware of this, which, at least for now, is helping the prime minister stay in his place.
It should also be noted that there have been few resignations from the ministerial ranks.
Paul Holmes, Parliamentary Private Secretary to Home Secretary Priti Patel, dismissed Sue Gray’s report. But others have not followed.