Boris Johnson propped up by Labour as nearly 100 Tories rebel

Almost 100 Tory MPs rebelled last night on Covid measures to tackle the Omicron variant, leaving Boris Johnson relying on Labour votes to continue the central policy of his administration.

In addition to at least 96 Tory MPs, eight Labour MPs, 10 Lib Dems, six DUP, Green Party MP Caroline Lucas and two independent MPs, Jeremy Corbyn and Rob Roberts, also opposed the government’s introduction of Covid passes. Another 17 Tory MPs abstained. With 369 MPs voting in favour and 126 against, the government had a majority of 243, but the Prime Minister would not have won without Labour support. It is a remarkable turnaround from two years ago this week when he triumphed in the pre-Christmas 2019 general election to secure a thumping majority of 80.

Today, after hours of debate in the light of the spread of the Omicron variant, MPs also voted for face masks being mandatory in large venues such as theatres and cinemas, daily lateral flow testing to avoid self-isolation after coming into contact with a positive case, a third mandatory vaccination for NHS staff and, last but not least, that contentious introduction of “Covid passports”.

The vote on Covid passports has split the Tories, and even an appeal from the Prime Minister at a meeting of the backbench 1922 Committee this evening failed to shift the rebels. The government and Labour leadership say the Plan B measures are required for the sake of public health. Tory rebels say it is yet another draconian restriction at odds with protecting civil liberties.

The result presents Johnson with a dilemma if he wants to tighten restrictions further in the next few weeks over the Christmas break, as the government is hinting is likely. He needs to keep Labour on-side and trust that the opposition won’t stitch him up at some point. Or might Tory rebels submit letters to the chairman of the 1922 committee seeking a vote on his leadership after Christmas? It’s possible. 

Away from Westminster, Boris Johnson also faces mounting pressure to meet his ambitious deadline of aiming to offer all eligible adults a booster shot by the end of December, a month earlier than his original goal.

The UK is well ahead of EU countries on booster doses but has pledged to go even faster. The ambitious strategy is already facing setbacks and bottlenecks. Britain has registered almost 4,500 confirmed cases of Omicron, with ten people hospitalised and one person who died with the variant. Only yesterday, there were an estimated 200,000 Omicron infections, six-hour queues at booster clinics (I’m writing this as I WFP – work from pavement – waiting for what feels like a century to get a booster jab), there is a drought of rapid lateral flow tests amid a surge in demand, the NHS online booking platform has repeatedly crashed, and, as reported today, there were no PCR slots available in parts of England. Although later in the day appointments did become available.

Boris Johnson is keen to control the “tidal wave” of Omicron, but he now has to cope with a tide of rebellion along with multiple other problems. There is the North Shropshire by-election on Thursday where the Tories are battling to hold a safe seat. There is the backlash from his aides having parties in Downing Street in breach of restrictions last year. And his flat refurbishment broke electoral law.

It truly is The Nightmare Before Christmas for the Prime Minister.