Tory MP Tobias Ellwood Stripped of Whip for Abstaining in Confidence Vote

The no-confidence vote was ironically brought by the Boris Johnson government against itself, after it refused to allow time in the Parliamentary schedule to debate a similar motion by the Labour Party. Downing Street denounced the opposition text for "playing politics" as it named PM Boris Johnson personally.

An anti-Brexit and pro-Ukraine Tory MP has had the party whip withdrawn after failing to vote against a no-confidence motion in the government.

Backbencher Tobias Ellwood, chairman of the House of Commons Defence Select Committee, did not vote in Monday night's division on the motion.

"Tobias Ellwood MP has lost the Conservative Party whip following his failure to vote in support of the Government in the confidence vote last night," a Conservative Party source said.

The Bournemouth East MP said he had been unable to get back to London in time after a trip to Moldova, where he met President Maia Sandu to discuss moves to "re-open" the Ukrainian port of Odessa, which the Kiev regime ordered mined after Russia launched its special military operation in the Ukraine.

"Following my meeting yesterday with the President of Moldova I was unable to secure return travel due to unprecedented disruption both here and in the UK," Ellwood said in a statement.

"I am very sorry to lose the whip but will now continue my meetings in Ukraine promoting the Prime Minister’s efforts here and specifically seeking to secure the re-opening of Odesa port – so vital grain exports can recommence," he added.

If Ellwood does not have the whip restored by the successor to outgoing Prime Minister Boris Johnson before the next general election, he will be faced with a choice between standing as an independent in his seat against an official Tory candidate or stepping down.

The no-confidence vote was ironically brought by the government against itself after it refused to allow time in the Parliamentary schedule to debate a similar motion by the Labour Party — with Downing Street denouncing the opposition move as "playing politics", as it named Johnson personally.

The government defeated the motion, which would have most likely forced a snap election, by 349 votes to 238 — meaning at least seven Tory MPs did not vote for it apart from the two speakers' deputies from the ruling party.

Ellwood, a strident Remainer, had been a constant critic of Johnson since he became Tory leader and PM in July 2019. Earlier this year the former British Army officer called for NATO to impose a "no-fly zone" over Ukraine against the Russian air force and for British troops to be sent into the country — moves that Johnson cautioned could result in war between the nuclear powers.

He made an unauthorised trip to Kiev in February, a week before the start of the Russian operation to demilitarise and de-Nazify the Ukraine and defend the Donetsk and Lugansk people's republics.

He also slammed the government's plans to resolve the "sausage war" crisis by invoking Article 16 of the Northern Ireland Protocol in the European Union withdrawal agreement, and advocated re-joining the EU's single market.

The former veterans' minister had been accused of hypocrisy for attacking Johnson over the 'Partygate' affair after he himself was caught breaking lockdown rules by speaking at a large Westminster dinner party thrown by the Iraq British Business Council in December 2020.