Johnson prepares fightback as allies admit confidence vote now likely

PM will launch last-ditch attempt this week to win over critics in Tory ranks with health and housing policy announcements

Boris Johnson's allies will switch their focus to winning a vote of no confidence, after conceding that they now have little chance of stopping one being triggered.

The prime minister will this week launch a health and housing policy fightback in a last-ditch attempt to win over his critics. He is widely expected to face a vote on his leadership as soon as this week, with some MPs predicting that the threshold of 54 letters asking for one has already been exceeded.