Boris Johnson ally resigns triggering byelections, puts Rishi Sunak’s leadership to test

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s leadership is being tested with another ally of Boris Johnson resigning from Parliament, leading to a third byelection. The outcomes of earlier byelections, along with internal party concerns and calls for a general election, indicate the challenges faced by the Conservative government.

MP for Selby and Ainsty, Nigel Adams, abruptly decided to resign immediately. This comes even as he had previously announced his intention to retire at the next general election. Boris Johnson, the former British prime minister, announced his resignation as a Member of Parliament on June 9 claiming that the ongoing parliamentary investigation into the ‘partygate’ scandal was the reason behind his decision. 

Although Johnson had nominated Adams for a peerage (Members of the House of Lords, the upper chamber of Great Britain’s bicameral), he did not make the final list alongside Nadine Dorries, Alok Sharma, and Alister Jack. Sunak had intentionally prevented Johnson’s allies from receiving peerages to avoid challenging byelections. 

Adams’ resignation

Adams announced his resignation on Twitter, stating that the Selby Conservatives had chosen an excellent new candidate for Parliament. He expressed gratitude to his constituents for their support and mentioned that it had been an honor to represent the area where he grew up and received his education.

“Yesterday, Selby Conservatives selected an excellent new parliamentary candidate. I’ve today informed the chief whip that I will be standing down as a Member of Parliament with immediate effect. It has been an honour to represent the area where I was raised, educated and I want to thank my constituents for their wonderful support since 2010,” Adams tweeted. 

Nadine Dorries’ steps down 

At the same time as Johnson’s, his former culture secretary Nadine Dorries announced she was quitting as an MP with immediate effect. Prior to Dorries’ resignation, she had stated her intention is not to cause a byelection in her seat. But eventually, she followed the lead of Johnson, who criticized Sunak’s leadership and the ongoing Partygate inquiry.

The Conservative Campaign Headquarters (CCHQ) had been conducting byelection drills for about a month, anticipating the possibility of Johnson and his allies accepting peerages.

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These drills involved identifying priority issues in each seat and determining which ministers should visit each constituency and for what reasons. There is speculation that other MPs, such as Alok Sharma, may also resign in protest.

Calls for general election

The Liberal Democrat deputy leader, Daisy Cooper, urged the Conservative party to call a general election, stating that the party is in chaos and has failed to address healthcare and the cost of living crisis. She believes the public should have the opportunity to pass judgment on the current Conservative government.

Concerns about byelection outcomes

Some Tory MPs are worried that the party may lose all three byelections. They argue that Sunak should learn from these outcomes, highlighting the need to address internal divisions, uphold the 2019 manifesto, and avoid handing control of the government to Jeremy Hunt.

Adams’ successor

Michael Naughton, the Conservative candidate for Adams’ Selby and Ainsty constituency, is regarded as an excellent choice. Labour is expected to win in Uxbridge, a seat that Johnson may be trying to avoid, possibly in favor of a safer seat like Henley. The Liberal Democrats have been actively campaigning in Mid-Bedfordshire.