Former Conservative leader William Hague says Boris Johnson has experienced a “greater level of rejection” than any of his predecessors and should quit the premiership.
Tory MPs voted by 211 to 148 in support of the Prime Minister as part of a confidence vote which has left him wounded.
“While Johnson has survived the night, the damage done to his premiership is severe,” Lord Hague wrote in The Times.
Rejection
“Words have been said that cannot be retracted, reports published that cannot be erased, and votes have been cast that show a greater level of rejection than any Tory leader has ever endured and survived.
“Deep inside, he should recognise that, and turn his mind to getting out in a way that spares party and country such agonies and uncertainties.”
But the Prime Minister told reporters in Downing Street: “I think it’s an extremely good, positive, conclusive, decisive result which enables us to move on, to unite and to focus on delivery and that is exactly what we are going to do.”
These comments from Rees Mogg will come back to haunt him.
The result really wasn’t very good…
Here are some stats to compare and contrast.
And a nice graph.
Reaction
Here are some of the best reactions.
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Lineker
But it was Gary Lineker who stole the show on Twitter with this…
Does this pic from the 1990 World Cup, replacing Gazza with Johnson sum the night up for you?
Related: Best 20 reactions about PM facing a confidence vote this evening