Four days of joyous celebrations to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee ended in dramatic fashion on Monday when British Prime Minister Boris Johnson survived a confidence vote on Monday, but was left wounded, possibly fatally, when out of 359 MPs, 211 voted for him and as many as 148 against.

Earlier, as the Tories engaged in a public display of bloodletting, the former health and foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt, who lost out to Boris in the leadership contest in July 2019, said he would be voting against the Prime Minister.

Hunt, who is expected to be a leadership candidate again if Boris is ousted, called for change: “Having been trusted with power, Conservative MPs know in our hearts we are not giving the British people the leadership they deserve.

“And because we are no longer trusted by the electorate, who know this, too, we are set to lose the next general election.”

However, Boris was backed by most of his cabinet, including notably the chancellor, Rishi Sunak, and the foreign secretary, Liz Truss, who are also expected to be candidates if there is a leadership contest.

Sunak said: “From the vaccine rollout to our response to Russian aggression, the PM has shown the strong leadership our country needs. I am backing him today and will continue to back him as we focus on growing the economy, tackling the cost of living and clearing the Covid backlogs.”

Truss declared Boris had her “100 per cent backing” and went on: “He has delivered on Covid recovery and supporting Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression. He has apologised for mistakes made. We must now focus on economic growth.”

Boris’s removal would have major foreign policy implications, notably over the war in Ukraine, where the British Prime Minister has led European leaders in his opposition to President Vladimir Putin.

Narendra Modi will also watch the no-confidence vote carefully for Boris is personally committed to signing some sort of free trade agreement with India “by Diwali”.

Under Tory party rules a leadership contest is automatically triggered if 15 per cent of the parliamentary — that is, 54 MPs — “put in letters” to Graham Brady, chairman of the quaintly named “1922 committee” that represents back bench Conservative MPs.

At 8am Brady summoned cameras to College Green opposite the Palace of Westminster to make his announcement: “The threshold of 15 per cent of the parliamentary party seeking a vote of confidence in the leader of the Conservative Party has been exceeded. In accordance with the rules, a ballot will be held between 18:00 and 20:00 today Monday 6th June. The votes will be counted immediately afterwards.”

Boris has to resign if he cannot summon 180 MPs to back him.

In theory he cannot be challenged for 12 months if he wins by even one vote. But most analysts predict his position will be precarious, possibly unsustainable, if the rebel vote gets to 100.

Ahead of the vote, Boris, who was confirmed as Prime Minister in the December 2019 general election with a landslide 80-majority victory, met Tory MPs at 4pm and argued that on the critical issues — the Covid vaccine and on Ukraine — he had got the “big calls” right. He understood the “cost of living crisis” and pointed out that it was the Labour party which wanted him out, “so don’t give them what they wish for”. He included a subtext — that he was a proven election winner and “there is no alternative”.

Some Tory MPs who want him gone urged Brady to hold back on announcing the no-confidence vote to allow the Queen to see through her celebrations.

After a day of pageants on Sunday, the 96-year-old made what many think may be final appearance from the balcony of Buckingham Palace.

She issued a touching message to try and unite her people: “When it comes to how to mark 70 years as your Queen, there is no guidebook to follow. It really is a first. But I have been humbled and deeply touched that so many people have taken to the streets to celebrate my Platinum Jubilee.

“While I may not have attended every event in person, my heart has been with you all; and I remain committed to serving you to the best of my ability, supported by my family.

“I have been inspired by the kindness, joy and kinship that has been so evident in recent days, and I hope this renewed sense of togetherness will be felt for many years to come.

“I thank you most sincerely for your good wishes and for the part you have all played in these happy celebrations.”

The omens were not auspicious for Boris. He and his wife Carrie were booed by a largely middle class crowd when they arrived for the service of thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral last Friday.