Serial loser: Boris Johnson and his litany of defeats

by Olaf Stando
Posted on
5 years ago
5 min read

Since becoming Prime Minister on July 23, Boris Johnson has suffered ten embarrassing defeats in the House of Commons, and two historic court rulings against him.

Boris Johnson has even outdone Theresa May in the frequency of parliamentary defeats, making history as he became the first Prime Minister to have lost their first six votes in just six days.

Here’s a snapshot of all defeats he has suffered since taking office.

1) September 3: Losing his first vote as Prime Minister.

DEFEATED 301-328. Facing his first vote in Parliament as Prime Minister, Boris Johnson was defeated by a cross-party alliance of MPs, who secured more time in the Commons to discuss legislation designed to avoid a no-deal crash-out.

This was the first time a Prime Minister lost their first vote since 1894.

2) September 4: Losing again…

DEFEATED 300-329. Boris Johnson a vote on the second reading of the Benn Bill, co-sponsored by SNP MPs, which was designed to force him to seek an extension to the Brexit process.

3) September 4: and again…

DEFEATED 299-327. In another damaging blow to his already ailing authority, Boris Johnson lost the final vote on the Benn Bill, which ended enshrined into law a block against the Tories’ catastrophic no-deal Brexit plans.

4) September 4: Failed to trigger an election

DEFEATED BY 136. After suffering three defeats in Parliament, Boris Johnson tried to force a no-deal Brexit through the backdoor by calling a general election. SNP MPs were not fooled and we stopped him in his tracks. There will be a general election, but not on Boris Johnson’s terms.

5) September 9: Forced to publish secret government documents

DEFEATED 302-311. After Boris Johnson revealed his disgraceful decision to shut down Parliament and subvert UK democracy, parliamentarians took action. MPs forced Boris Johnson to publish the startling Operation Yellowhammer documents – which the Tory government desperately tried to hide – revealing the impact of a no-deal Brexit.

6) September 9: Failed to trigger an election – again

DEFEATED BY 141. Still desperate to impose a no-deal Brexit, Boris Johnson again tried to use dirty tricks to call a general election. We defeated him again.

After racking up his sixth defeat in Parliament, Boris Johnson, in dictator-like fashion, has shut down Parliament to escape scrutiny and avoid yet more defeats.

7) September 11: Defeated in Scotland’s highest court as the shutdown of Parliament was ruled unlawful

In a huge victory for democracy, the SNP’s Joanna Cherry QC MP lead and won the legal case against Boris Johnson’s decision to prorogue Parliament. The Court of Session, Scotland’s highest court, found Boris Johnson’s actions to have been unlawful.

Reacting to the ruling, UK government sources have issued dangerous attacks on the Scottish judiciary, suggesting they are politically biased.

8) September 24: UK Supreme Court unanimously rules against Boris Johnson’s shutdown of Parliament

Following the Scottish court case and a UK government appeal, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the decision to shut down Parliament was “unlawful” and “unconstitutional”.

Instead of showing even a shred of integrity and resigning, Boris Johnson has ploughed on ahead regardless, seeking his no-deal Brexit fantasy without a mandate.

9) September 26: Failed to win parliamentary recess for the Tory conference

DEFEATED 289-306. Just days after he was forced to recall Parliament following the court defeat, Boris Johnson was defeated again and denied a conference recess by MPs.

10) October 17: Another day, another Brexit defeat…

DEFEATED 275-287. In an attempt to pass Boris Johnson’s damaging Brexit deal, the UK government proposed the first Saturday sitting of Parliament since the Falklands War. Boris Johnson tried to deny MPs the opportunity to table amendments and force a vote without substantial time for scrutiny – he failed again.

11) October 19: …And another one

DEFEATED 306-322. Boris Johnson returned from Brussels with a deal worse than Theresa May’s and tried to ram it through Parliament without allowing scrutiny.

SNP MPs joined forces with others to reject Boris Johnson’s absurd Brexit deal – meanwhile, the 13 Scottish Tory MPs sold out Scotland’s interests by backing Boris Johnson

12) October 22: …And another one again

DEFEATED 308-322. SNP MPs and others voted to reject Boris Johnson’s reckless attempt to evade proper scrutiny and railroad ahead with his Brexit deal.

And yet again – all Scottish Tory MPs voted in favour of allowing Boris Johnson to move ahead with Brexit with no scrutiny and no consent of the Scottish Parliament.

13) October 28: …And again.

DEFEATED BY 229. This was Boris Johnson’s 11th defeat in Parliament since he became Prime Minister. SNP MPs, along with the opposition, were not bullied by Boris Johnson’s dirty tricks and voted against a general election which was conditional on re-introducing the disastrous Brexit bill.

This would mean Scotland being potentially taken out of the EU against out will, and the SNP cannot accept that.

A general election, which is inevitably coming soon, is our ultimate chance to inflict the biggest defeat Boris Johnson has yet faced. It’s time to stop Brexit, take Scotland’s future into Scotland’s hands, and finally get rid of this extreme right-wing Tory government. Join us and let’s make it happen together.