Downing Street Blocks Opposition No-Confidence Motion in Outgoing PM BoJo

The main opposition Labour Party announced on Tuesday morning it was tabling a no-confidence motion in the Tory government — and in PM Boris Johnson, who announced his departure from Downing Street last week.

The British Tory government has blocked an opposition-led no confidence vote on the grounds that it names outgoing Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

Downing Street announced late on Tuesday afternoon it was refusing to allow time in Wednesday's Parliamentary schedule to debate the motion brought by opposition leader Sir Keir Starmer's Labour Party, calling it a waste of time while the government was trying to get on with legislative business.

A government spokesman said it had asked Labour to change the wording of the motion to remove references to Johnson, who resigned last week following months of scandals and a spate of ministerial resignations, accusing the official opposition of "playing politics".

"We have given Labour the option to table a straightforward vote of no confidence in the government," the spokesman said. "They have chosen to play politics by tabling a vote of no confidence in the government and the prime minister".

"As the prime minister has already resigned and a leadership process is under way we do not feel this is a valuable use of parliamentary time," he added. "Should Labour amend their motion appropriately, they can have the next business day for it to be debated".

But a Labour spokesperson accused the ruling Conservatives of "running scared" from the motion that, if passed, would most likely mean a snap general election.

"This clapped-out government is running scared and refusing to allow time to debate Labour's vote of no confidence motion. This is totally unprecedented," the spokesperson said. "Yet again the Tories are changing the rules to protect their own dodgy mates" — a clear reference to the Owen Paterson scandal last November.

Labour called on all Tory leadership candidates to "denounce this flagrant abuse of power to protect a discredited prime minister."

Earlier, Starmer tweeted that it was "intolerable" for the Conservatives to let Johnson "cling on" to power.

Since the Tories have failed to act in the national interest, Labour will," he wrote. "The Tories can’t let him cling on for weeks and weeks and weeks. It would be intolerable for the country."