Peterborough residents have their say on Boris Johnson's future as prime minister ahead of vote of confidence

A majority of at least 180 Conservative MPs will have to vote against Boris Johnson today (June 6) for him to leave his post as prime minister.

The vote of confidence will be held from 6pm – 8pm tonight. It was triggered after at least 54 Conservative MPs requested it.

The decision follows backlash over Sue Gray's report detailing lockdown rule-breaking by Boris Johnson and Conservative MPs in Downing Street during the pandemic.

The Peterborough Telegraph asked Peterborough residents whether they thought Boris Johnson should remain prime minister – or whether he should be voted out.

Samuel Hallam, 25, from Orton Goldhay, said Conservative MPs should vote to remove Boris Johnson as prime minister because he thinks it is “disgraceful what he and his colleagues have done” regarding ‘partygate’ – the parties and gatherings between members of the Conservative Party which were held while public health restrictions prohibited most gatherings during the pandemic.

Christiane Ellis, 70, of Orton Melbourne, said the vote should go against Boris Johnson as “there is no confidence in him from the public”.

Julie Smiley, 64, of Orton, said Boris Johnson “doesn’t understand how the other half live” – and one resident, who asked not be named, said he seems to “keep getting away with it.”

Conversely, Keith Deri, 73, from Welland said he should remain prime minister as “he’s done a brilliant job. He’s made mistakes along the way, but we all do – it’s about learning from them.”

Kate Hammond, of Orton Waterville, posed the question: “Who is better to replace him? I don’t think any of the other candidates have the confidence Boris has to lead the country.”

Paul Melling, 70, of Whittlesey, said: “It’s a witch hunt - I don’t know who the alternative is. Everyone broke the rules in one way during the pandemic.”

One resident, who asked not be named, also expressed his lack of confidence in the alternatives to Boris Johnson as prime minister, saying: “I don’t like Sir Kier Starmer and I don’t like Michael Gove either.”