Partygate Anger And Cost Of Living Crisis Fuel Tory Revolt

Boris Johnson has suffered a grassroots Tory revolt on the eve of crucial local elections, while being warned that he will face fresh questions about his leadership as soon as the results are in.

- Rob Merrick

As millions are set to go to the polls today, some party candidates took the extraordinary step of rebranding themselves "local Conservatives”, pleading with voters not to “punish” them for the Partygate scandal. The prime minister was also subjected to an attack by two of his former councillors, who released letters urging voters to back other parties, accusing the prime minister of “spreading lies” and “taking us for fools”.

The leader of one grassroots Tory group told The Independent that anger about the No 10 parties, topped up by fears over rising living costs, pointed to the party's supporters staying at home on polling day. “People most affected by lockdown - those who missed weddings and funerals – still consider it a scandalous disgrace, and now they are feeling the impact of higher taxes and energy costs as well,” said John Strafford, head of the Campaign for Conservative Democracy.

Mr Johnson was also warned that “conversations” about whether he should quit as prime minister would resume among Conservative MPs once the elections were out of the way. “This isn't for today, this is a big decision - important questions for Friday and for the weeks after that,” Tobias Ellwood, a former defence minister who has demanded a no-confidence vote, told the BBC.