A veteran Tory today declared it is “last orders time” for Boris Johnson and “one more strike and he’s out.”
Sir Roger Gale, 78, even threatened a leadership challenge against the Prime Minister in the wake of the disastrous North Shropshire by-election.
Helped by tactical Labour voters and an incessant campaign on Tory sleaze, the Lib Dems overturned a 22,949 majority and won the seat on a 34% swing.
The ultra-safe seat had only ever voted Tory - but became a focus of sleaze after MP Owen Paterson broke Parliament’s lobbying rules and the PM tried to save him.
Ladbrokes put Boris Johnson odds-on - 4/5 - to be out of Downing Street by the end of 2022.
North Thanet MP since 1983 Sir Roger told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “The electorate wanted to send a very clear message to Downing Street that they were dissatisfied with the management of this government.
“I think this has to be seen as a referendum on the Prime Minister’s performance.
“And I think the Prime Minister is now in last orders time.
“Two strikes, already, one earlier this week in the vote in the Commons, now this.
“One more strike and he’s out.”
Asked if there could genuinely be a change of leader in short order, Sir Roger - who was suspended from Parliament for trying to "improperly influence" two top judges - replied: “The Conservative Party has a reputation for not taking prisoners. If the Prime Minister fails the Prime Minister goes.
“We got rid of a good Prime Minister to install Mr Johnson.
“Mr Johnson has to prove he’s capable of being a good Prime Minister, and at the moment it’s quite clear the public don’t think that’s the case.”
Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, Treasurer of the 1922 Committee of Tory backbenchers, said: “The voters of North Shropshire are giving us a severe message and we must heed that message with humility.”
He told Times Radio Boris Johnson has “got to go away for Christmas, come back in the new year, start to deal with all these issues - own goals, wallpaper, whatever.”
But Sir Geoffrey said he was "absolutely not at the moment” submitting a letter of no confidence in the PM.
Tory MP Charles Walker - who has been a vehement critic of the government’s Covid measures - said "the Prime Minister has got weeks, months, a year to sort himself out.” But he disagreed with Sir Roger.
He said it’s been “a really bad morning” but “it doesn’t mean the end and it certainly doesn’t mean leadership challenges.
“The Conservative Party is not going to have a leadership challenge as we’re heading into potential further restrictions around Covid… that would be completely self-indulgent.”
It would take 54 letters to the backbench 1922 Committee to spark a leadership election.
Another Tory who has privately been a furious critic of Boris Johnson also told the Mirror a leadership challenge was still unlikely.
"It's certainly not an ideal Christmas present for the Conservative Party," they said. "Clearly the noises off and the whiff of 'do as I say, not as I do' has had an effect - the electorate don't like hypocrisy."
But they added: "Perhaps this is a signal now that normal politics has resumed. It's unusual for a government in mid-term to win or hold by-elections."
In a stunning humiliation, the Tories lost the ultra-safe constituency they have held for decades as fed-up voters abandoned the party.
Lib Dem candidate Helen Morgan overturned a massive 22,949 Conservative majority in the ballot triggered by the resignation of shamed Tory Owen Paterson.
Ms Morgan won 17,957 votes, securing a Lib Dem majority of 5,925. Tory candidate Neil Shastri-Hurst took 12,032 votes and Labour's Ben Wood secured 3,686 votes.
The 46-year-old trailed behind the Tories in third place in the 2019 election but two years later was the face of one of the most dramatic political upsets in recent times.
It sparked recriminations for the under-fire Prime Minister after weeks of Downing Street chaos, public anger over rule-breaking Christmas parties and allegations of Tory sleaze.
In her victory speech, Ms Morgan said: "Tonight, the people of North Shropshire have spoken on behalf of the British people.
"They have said loudly and clearly: 'Boris Johnson, the party is over'. Your government, run on lies and bluster, will be held accountable. It will be scrutinised, it will be challenged and it can and will be defeated."
Tory party chairman Oliver Dowden told Sky News: “Voters in North Shropshire were fed up and they gave us a kicking.
“I think they wanted to send us a message - and I want to say as chairman of the Conservative Party, we hear that loud and clear.”
Yet he claimed the circumstances were “unique” and Boris Johnson “has the vision to get us through this period. He added: “Voters are clearly fed up and they want us to get on with the job and focus on the job.”
