Boris Johnson has offered tax cuts to his own MPs as he fights for his political life and told those challenging him over partygate “I’d do it again”.
The prime minister held out the prospect of future changes as he addressed Tory MPs in Westminster just hours before they cast their judgement on his leadership of their party and the country.
Following criticism he has lost the trust of the public over the partygate scandal, Mr Johnson promised his own MPs “I will lead you to victory again.”
But in comments likely to infuriate rebels who have criticised his leadership he warned the party not to descend into a “pointless fratricidal debate”.
In his speech he told MPs that the way forward was to “cut taxes”. A senior party source said: “He did not promise a specific tax cut, but the chancellor and him will lay out a plan for growth next week.”
Johnson loyalist Jacob Rees-Mogg said that the prime minister had set out “what he’s going to do, how you deal with cost of living crisis, how you make the economy grow, but we need tax cuts to invigorate the economy, we need productivity gains.”
Mr Johnson had a “clear message, a clear vision,” he added.
Tory backbenchers have demanded the government introduce tax cuts to help millions struggling with the cost of living.
But one of those, Wycombe MP Steve Baker, indicated that despite the pledge he still intended to vote against Mr Johnson.
Following the speech, five MPs were invited to ask the questions, three of whom were supportive and two critical.
Mr Johnson was challenged over the removal of references to the principle of integrity in his recent foreword to the ministerial code of conduct, but told MPs that it remained in the text of the code.
Challenged over his handling of the Partygate allegations, one MP said he replied: “I’d do it again.”
A government source said that Mr Johnson had been very specific when he said he would do it again, that “he would thank staff for their hard work when they left his employment.”
Mr Johnson also told the 1922 Committee that the Tories should “refuse to gratify our opponents by turning in on ourselves’’.
A senior party source said the Prime Minister received a big cheer when he said they should not “dance to the tune of the media’’.
One critic of the prime minister told The Independent that the mood in the meeting appeared generally supportive, but added: “It’s difficult to know how much that means. People will thump tables and applaud and cheer and then go out and vote against him.”
