Johnson Will Find Out Size of Tory Rebellion in Lockdown Vote

U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson is poised to sacrifice political capital in order to get Parliament to agree to a month-long partial lockdown of England from midnight on Thursday. While not as a strict as the shutdown in spring, businesses are unhappy and the suggestion of a extension if the virus is still out of control has fueled a rebellion in his ruling Conservative Party.

On Wednesday evening, in the House of Commons, mere hours before the new restrictions are due to go into effect. Some Tory members of Parliament, dissatisfied with the chaotic handling of the COVID-19 crisis, see this as further evidence the government has failed to get a grip on the situation. They also suspect that the government could try to extend it beyond Dec. 2 end date and disrupt the Christmas holidays, a move that would make them unpopular with voters. That would require a fresh vote.