A senior Conservative MP has told his colleagues to “stop drinking the Kool Aid” and be prepared to dump Boris Johnson as party leader.
Tobias Ellwood said it was a question of “when, not if” the prime minister faces a confidence vote.
His comments came after MPs decided to launch a privileges committee inquiry into claims the prime minister misled parliament by insisting lockdown rules were followed in Downing Street at all times.
It came after the government performed a U-turn by ditching a bid to kick a decision on the inquiry into the long grass.
Johnson has apologised after he received a fixed penalty notice from the Metropolitan Police for attending his own birthday party in 10 Downing Street in June, 2020.
But he has insisted he will not quit and has vowed to lead the Tories into the next general election.
Appearing on Sky News, Ellwood, who is chair of the defence select committee, said his fellow Conservative MPs had to realise that the PM was no longer a vote winner.
He said: “All MPs are deeply troubled by what the party is now going through and what to do next, given the huge credit you must give to Boris Johnson in bringing the party so far.
“But we must stop drinking the Kool-Aid that’s encouraging us to think this is all going to disappear and that we can all move on.”
On Radio 4′s Today programme, Ellwood said: “I predicted a steady trickle of letters [of no confidence], of resignations and that is now happening.
“I fear it’s now when, not if, a vote of confidence takes place, as sadly the absence of discipline, of focus, of leadership in Number 10, has led to this breach of trust with the British people and it’s causing long-term damage to the party’s brand.”
But the PM was defended this morning by Northern Ireland minister Conor Burns, one of his staunchest allies.
He told Sky News there was “no question of the Prime Minister going”.
Burns said the prime minister - who is currently on an official visit to India - was “looking forward” to the Commons probe so he could finally clear his name.
He said: “We’re going to have multiple opportunities for the prime minister’s word to be tested. We’ve got the Met investigation ongoing, we’ve committed that when that’s finished Sue Gray will complete her report, the prime minister will come back to parliament, and we’ve now got the privileges committee investigation.
“This is going to be the most looked at event, possibly, since the Second World War.”