The group decided it would be unfair to remove the 12-month grace period currently enjoyed by the prime minister before the panel’s election takes place on Monday. A committee source said the group did not expect Johnson to remain in office until Monday, as a group of cabinet ministers headed to No 10 on Wednesday night to tell the prime minister it was time to go. A delegation of cabinet ministers, a group reportedly including newly appointed chancellor Nadhim Zahawi, is preparing to tell Johnson it is game over following the mass resignations of ministers, aides and envoys. A government source told The Independent that the ministerial delegation includes Grant Shapps, the transport secretary, Chris Heaton Harris, the chief whip and the Welsh secretary Simon Hart. Senior minister and ally Michael Gove privately told Johnson it was time for him to step down as prime minister in a meeting earlier on Wednesday, according to the Independent. Despite the lack of agreement on a rule change, the chairman of the 1922 committee, Sir Graham Brady, was reportedly heading to No 10 to see the Prime Minister and “offer sage advice” on Wednesday night. Tory MP Alec Selbrook said polls for the 1922 Commission have opened, will close at midday on Monday, before voting takes place between 2pm and 4pm on Monday. The result will be announced on Monday afternoon. It will then be up to a new executive to decide whether to change the rules to push through a new confidence vote, which currently cannot take place until next year after the prime minister narrowly survived last month’s vote. Mr Johnson would be expected to be defeated in such a vote – if he manages to stay in his seat until next week – after dozens of Tory MPs turned against him or spoke out against him for the first time in the past 24 hours. The prime minister appears to be facing a losing battle to remain in No 10 after his handling of the whip controversy over former deputy minister Mr Pincher angered Tory colleagues. More than 30 resignations of ministers, aides and envoys followed the dramatic exit of Rishi Sunak and Sajid Javid from the cabinet on Tuesday night. There had been speculation that the 1922 Commission could push for an immediate change to the rules after senior figures from the group spoke to parliament on Wednesday. Sir Graham Brady, the current chairman of the 1922 Commission (Victoria Jones/PA) (PA File) Robert Halfon, who is a member of the 1922 Commission and had remained loyal until this week, said: “If there is a vote for a change in leadership, I will now vote for that change.” Senior Tory MP Gary Sambrook received a standing ovation from the Labor benches after calling for Johnson to resign at PMQs. The executive secretary of the 1922 Commission accused Mr. Johnson of trying to “blame other people’s mistakes” and told him bluntly: “Take responsibility and resign.” Meanwhile, a senior Tory MP has warned Johnson against calling an early general election in a last-ditch bid to save himself. The supporter said permanent secretary Simon Case and the prime minister’s senior advisers in No 10 would advise him against a radical move to go to the polls. The MP, who did not want to be named, said they had been told officials would advise the prime minister that it would put the Queen in a “difficult position” if she called for parliament to be dissolved.
