Support 100 years of independent journalism.

  1. Politics
10 June 2022

Boris Johnson’s confidence vote is catastrophic for the country

A divided governing party benefits no one, except Labour.

By Andrew Marr and Phil Clarke Hill

While Boris Johnson has declared victory and is now “burbling” about measures to reunite the Conservative Party, the vote of confidence in him on Monday 6 June – and the resultant split in the Conservative party – has effectively ended the Prime Minister’s 80-seat parliamentary majority. This leaves him the leader of a minority Brexit party steered by pro-Johnson Brexiteers and ideologues.

Meanwhile, Johnson is relaunching his premiership with a cocktail of plans which are by turns untenable (tax cuts) and trivial (the return of imperial measures).

Despite the assertions of Johnson loyalists such as Nadine Dorries and Jacob Rees-Mogg, the Prime Minister finds himself in a situation similar to the end of the Callaghan era in 1978. Then, the Labour government was at the end of its power and trying to deal with rising inflation, industrial action and economic hardship. As its momentum waned Margaret Thatcher presented a new vision for the country and galvanised support around her.

Can today’s Labour Party under Keir Starmer bring the same level of steely resolve and philosophical direction that would be needed to beat the Conservatives? Whether they can or not, big change is coming in British politics.

Watch more video from the New Statesman on our newstatesman.com/video, and on our YouTube Channel.

Select and enter your email address Quick and essential guide to domestic and global politics from the New Statesman's politics team. The New Statesman’s global affairs newsletter, every Monday and Friday. Your new guide to the best writing on ideas, politics, books and culture each weekend - from the New Statesman. A weekly newsletter helping you fit together the pieces of the global economic slowdown. A newsletter showcasing the finest writing from the ideas section, covering political ideas, philosophy, criticism and intellectual history - sent every Wednesday. The New Statesman’s weekly environment email on the politics, business and culture of the climate and nature crises - in your inbox every Thursday. Sign up to receive information regarding NS events, subscription offers & product updates.
  • Administration / Office
  • Arts and Culture
  • Board Member
  • Business / Corporate Services
  • Client / Customer Services
  • Communications
  • Construction, Works, Engineering
  • Education, Curriculum and Teaching
  • Environment, Conservation and NRM
  • Facility / Grounds Management and Maintenance
  • Finance Management
  • Health - Medical and Nursing Management
  • HR, Training and Organisational Development
  • Information and Communications Technology
  • Information Services, Statistics, Records, Archives
  • Infrastructure Management - Transport, Utilities
  • Legal Officers and Practitioners
  • Librarians and Library Management
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • OH&S, Risk Management
  • Operations Management
  • Planning, Policy, Strategy
  • Printing, Design, Publishing, Web
  • Projects, Programs and Advisors
  • Property, Assets and Fleet Management
  • Public Relations and Media
  • Purchasing and Procurement
  • Quality Management
  • Science and Technical Research and Development
  • Security and Law Enforcement
  • Service Delivery
  • Sport and Recreation
  • Travel, Accommodation, Tourism
  • Wellbeing, Community / Social Services
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
THANK YOU

Content from our partners
Supporting customers through the cost of living crisis
Data on cloud will change the way you interact with the government
Defining a Kodak culture for the future