The Tory warlords who will determine Boris’s fate

When news broke over the weekend that former minister Nick Gibb had become the 14th Tory MP to publicly call for Boris Johnson to resign, cabinet loyalists were furious. They weren’t just concerned about the growing number of no-confidence letters — they were angered by what they saw as a co-ordinated effort by ‘One Nation’ Conservatives to oust the Prime Minister.

One Nation Tories, a 40-strong parliamentary group, have long been regarded with suspicion by Johnson’s inner circle. ‘They’re the government’s most obvious and vocal critics,’ says a member of the whips’ office. They tend to occupy traditional shire seats or sit in Lib Dem/Tory marginals. During the Brexit referendum they veered towards Remain.

The ‘one nation’ label — which dates to Disraeli — is now so vague that almost anyone can claim it. Take, for example, Johnson. During the 2019 leadership contest, he took part in a testy One Nation hustings, which I chaired. It was one of his trickiest audiences. When I asked which of the group’s principles he valued most, he replied that it was like asking a ‘tigress to pick between her cubs’.

There is little love between the group and Johnson these days. Despite the Prime Minister’s promise after the general election to lead a ‘new One Nation Conservative government’, his handling of Brexit and his loose relationship with the law has rattled many of his MPs. His plans to woo Red Wall seats with Operation Red Meat — including threats to axe the BBC licence fee — have had the opposite effect on One Nation Tories.

At a recent meeting of the group, its chairman, Damian Green, asked colleagues for five things that Johnson could do to improve the situation. ‘Resign, resign, resign,’ said Caroline Nokes, before Simon Hoare joined in to add the final two.