Boris Johnson latest news: PM addresses Tory MPs in last ditch effort ahead of confidence vote

Jacob Rees-Mogg has sought to downplay the significance of a confidence vote in Boris Johnson, claiming it is the “routine of politics”.

Referring to the threshold of Tory MPs who have submitted a letter of no confidence, he told Sky News: “I think you would find in all parties at all times there’s about 15 per cent who, for whatever reason, don’t like the leader of the party.”

Mr Rees-Mogg later said: “I don’t think getting to the 15 per cent bar is particularly damaging, or indeed particularly surprising. I think it’s a relatively low bar and fairly easy to get to.”

Highlighting other prime ministers who have either survived a confidence vote or threats to their leadership, Mr Rees-Mogg said the vote is part of the “routine of politics”.

“So I wouldn’t focus on a narrow particular rule, I would just look at the generality of politics that there are always people who want the top job and a lot of people who’ve been public in recent days clearly want the top job for themselves and they therefore stir things up a bit,” he said.

“And we will see – I hope the Prime Minister will win the vote later on today and then calm everything down.”