Boris Johnson's future: Ministers blackmailing plotters, claims Tory MP

A senior Tory has accused the government of trying to "blackmail" its own MPs against plotting to remove Boris Johnson.

William Wragg, who is among those calling on the PM to resign, said rebels had faced "pressures and intimidation" from ministers.

And he accused No 10 of promoting embarrassing stories about those suspected of joining their ranks.

The PM's allies say he has seen off a plot to remove him for the time being.

It comes after Tory grandee and one-time ally David Davis joined calls for Mr Johnson to quit over lockdown parties in Downing Street.

Mr Johnson has called on potential rebels to wait for the outcome of Sue Gray's inquiry into parties before passing judgement on him.

The senior civil servant is set to publish her findings on accusations of Covid-rule breaking in Downing Street next week.

But in a sign of worsening relations between Mr Johnson and his backbenchers, Mr Wragg launched a stinging attack on the way the government has handled dissent among Tory MPs.

Speaking during a Commons committee that he chairs, the MP for Hazel Grove accused government whips - MPs in charge of discipline - of threatening those suspected of plotting with the removal of government investment in their constituencies.

He also said he had received reports of government ministers, advisers and staff at No 10 "encouraging the publication of stories in the press seeking to embarrass" those suspected of lacking confidence in the PM.

He claimed the reports "would seem to constitute blackmail" - and encouraged MPs targeted in this way to contact the Commons Speaker and the Metropolitan Police.

It follows a dramatic day in Westminster on Wednesday, when Tory MP Christian Wakeford defected to Labour, describing the PM as incapable of leading.

Speaking to the Today programme on Thursday, Health Secretary Sajid Javid said: "If there were people at the heart of government who were not following the rules they should be disciplined and I look forward to that disciplinary action taking place" but added it was "right to wait for the outcome" of the investigation.

He added that the emergence of stories about parties inside No 10 had been "damaging" to the country's democracy.

So far six Conservative MPs have publicly declared no confidence in the PM, but more are thought to have submitted letters to Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the backbench 1922 committee, who organises Tory leadership contests.

There are claims that the threshold of 54 letters needed to trigger a no-confidence vote and leadership election could soon be reached, but no official word has been given.

However, some Conservatives have told the BBC the mood has changed, following the defection of Mr Wakeford.

"I don't think anything could have united us more than watching someone cross the floor like that," said Tory MP Joy Morrissey, who, like Mr Wakeford, won her seat in 2019.

Northern Ireland Minister Conor Burns - a close ally of Mr Johnson - told BBC Newsnight: "I think there is a real sense of stepping back and realising that the right thing to do is to wait for Sue Gray's report to then question the prime minister, as he's quite properly said he will come to the House of Commons and make a statement and answer for it."

Downing Street has confirmed Mr Johnson would also fight any no-confidence vote by his party.

But Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross, one of those who has called for Mr Johnson to quit, earlier said a no-confidence vote was "near" and "getting closer".

Ms Gray's team are talking to the PM's former aide Dominic Cummings, who says he warned the PM that the Downing Street garden party on 20 May 2020 risked breaking Covid rules.

Mr Cummings has also accused Mr Johnson - who insists he thought the party was a work event - of misleading Parliament.