Wednesday 6 July 2022 08:57 PM Boris vows to cling to power - but can he? How PM could dissolve Parliament and ... trends now

Wednesday 6 July 2022 08:57 PM Boris vows to cling to power - but can he? How PM could dissolve Parliament and ... trends now
Wednesday 6 July 2022 08:57 PM Boris vows to cling to power - but can he? How PM could dissolve Parliament and ... trends now

Wednesday 6 July 2022 08:57 PM Boris vows to cling to power - but can he? How PM could dissolve Parliament and ... trends now

Boris Johnson today played down suggestions he could call a snap general election - despite claims it's his only option left as he defiantly battles to remain as Prime Minister.

Mr Johnson's premiership is on life support after he suffered a torrent of resignations from his Government, while vast swathes of Tory MPs have withdrawn their support.

The PM is also facing pressure from Cabinet ministers - as well as senior backbencher Sir Graham Brady, the chair of the Tories' powerful 1922 Committee - to finally admit defeat.

However, appearing before the House of Commons' Liaison Committee this afternoon, Mr Johnson insisted he was 'not going to step down' despite the near-fatal blows being delivered to him by his own party.

The PM even set alarm bells ringing at one point when he initially refused to rule out dissolving Parliament in his efforts to cling to office.

Boris Johnson's premiership is on life support after he suffered a torrent of resignations from his Government, while vast swathes of Tory MPs have withdrawn their support

Boris Johnson's premiership is on life support after he suffered a torrent of resignations from his Government, while vast swathes of Tory MPs have withdrawn their support

These are a set of circumstances under which the Queen might refuse a request for a dissolution of Parliament from a PM

These are a set of circumstances under which the Queen might refuse a request for a dissolution of Parliament from a PM

How can the PM dissolve Parliament and call a general election? 

Earlier this year, Mr Johnson oversaw the repeal of the Fixed-term Parliaments Act, which means the PM now once again has the power to request a dissolution of Parliament - triggering a general election - at a time of their choosing.

It has been speculated that asking the Queen to dissolve Parliament, in order to bring about a general election, is one of Mr Johnson's few options left in his intent to stay in Number 10.

If that were to happen, the calculation by the PM would be that - although increasing numbers of Tory MPs want

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