PM Rules Out Early Election As Poll Calls Defeat For Tories

Boris Johnson has ruled out calling an early general election, as allies admitted that voters would not welcome a snap vote aimed at saving his premiership.

- Adam Forrest, Andrew Woodcock

The move came as an exclusive poll for The Independent suggested that the Conservative Party would be defeated if a ballot was called now, with Labour falling just short of an overall majority but the prime minister potentially losing his own seat. It indicated that Mr Johnson's personal standing among voters has plummeted in the wake of the Sue Gray report into Partygate and the abortive coup attempt by his own MPs.

But pressure on Mr Johnson was eased by the announcement that a Commons inquiry into claims he lied to parliament about Downing Street parties will not take evidence from witnesses until the autumn, granting him a few months' grace to recover his position.

As the ranks of Tory MPs calling for Mr Johnson's removal have grown in recent weeks, the prime minister's advisers have used the threat of an early poll - and the possible loss of vulnerable seats - to bring wavering MPs into line. But a source close to Mr Johnson dismissed the chances of him calling an early election this year, conceding that cutting and running at a time when he holds a commanding majority in the Commons would not be credible to voters.

"The PM won an 80-seat majority, people want us to use it to get shit done, rather than hold another vote," the source said.

Today's poll by Savanta suggests an early election could be disastrous for Mr Johnson, with Labour extending their lead by a point since last month to seven, on 41 per cent against 34 per cent for Tories and 10 per cent for Liberal Democrats.