‘Night of the Blond Knives’: How UK media reacted to Boris Johnson vote of confidence

“Night of the blond knives” and “a wounded victor” was how some of the front pages in the UK reacted to British prime minister Boris Johnson winning a vote of confidence in his leadership on Monday night.

Tory MPs voted by 211 to 148 in support of Mr Johnson, after he made a last-ditch plea to them to back him, promising future tax cuts and highlighting his own record of electoral success.

The Daily Mail carries the headline “Boris vows: I’ll bash on” on its front page and details how Mr Johnson said he would “focus on the things people want”.

The Times leads with a sombre picture of Mr Johnson leaving the House of Commons last night on its page one with the headline “A wounded victor”, and says while he claimed a “decisive” win the result is “worse than expected”.

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“The vote exposed deep rifts within the Conservative Party that will pose a continuing threat to Johnson’s authority as he tries to lead the party into the next election,” the paper says.

[ Johnson survives vote, but his authority suffers serious blow ]

The Guardian carries a similar photograph with the headline, “PM clinging to power after vote humiliation”.

“The prime minister won the support of 211 MPs but 41 per cent of his party voted to get rid of him, with many citing his lack of repentance over the Partygate scandal and the public’s loss of trust in his leadership,” it says.

“It was the worst verdict on a sitting prime minister by their own party in recent times.”

The Sun’s front page describes last night’s vote as “Night of the blond knives” and says the British PM was “stabbed in [the] back by 148 Tories”.

The Independent’s front page headline says “Johnson clings on ... but for how long?” and says the prime minister was last night facing demands for “a wholesale cull of his cabinet”.

“His victory in the ballot of Tory MPs spared him the humiliation of ejection from 10 Downing Street, but leaves him wounded as he faces two by-elections later this month,” it says.

The Daily Telegraph leads with “Hollow victory tears Tories apart” and says Mr Johnson’s authority is “crushed” with “the rebels circling to finish him off”.

The Daily Mirror leads with “Party’s Over, Boris” and says “Johnson suffers brutal attack by 148 of his own MPs ... and is warned he will be out in a year”.

The Financial Times goes with “Johnson wounded in confidence vote as 41 per cent of Tory MPs rebel” and said the ballot “lays bare” party division.