- Boris Johnson is facing the wrath of northern Tory MPs after pulling out of an event at the last minute.
- MPs said they had been given "an assurance" he would attend before last week's vote of no confidence.
- Tom Tugendhat, a southern MP and potential leadership rival, is due to speak instead.
Boris Johnson is facing the wrath of Red Wall MPs after the prime minister pulled out of addressing an event for those in their patch.
Sources told Insider that Johnson had been expected to deliver a speech at the Doncaster-based Northern Research Group (NRG) conference Friday afternoon. However, on Friday morning, Number 10 confirmed he would not be attending.
The group, which is made up of Conservative MPs from some of England's northern constituencies, had received "an assurance" Johnson was likely to attend prior to last week's vote of confidence, one Tory said.
It was in his itinerary as late as Thursday morning, sources said, with the expectation that he would visit nearby Wakefield as part of the by-election campaign.
"Doesn't he have to drive past the fucking place?" one backbencher said.
However, with Number 10 refusing to confirm the prime minister's location, MPs began speculating that he may be visiting Tiverton, home to another looming by-election, or even Ukraine.
Some sources suggested the conference could be an opportunity for further plotting against the prime minister with leadership contender Tom Tugendhat — who represents Tonbridge and Malling in Kent — addressing the northern group instead.
Rishi Sunak, the chancellor and one-time favourite rival to Johnson, has also attended.
One Labour MP was scathing, telling Insider: "Pissing off a load of your northern members doesn't seem the best solution ... could almost write the attack lines."
Tory MPs from the Red Wall — a catch-all term for northern working-class seats that swung from Labour to the Conservatives — were heavily wooed by Downing Street during the recent leadership crisis.
However, many others rebelled and some were only prevented from doing so at the last minute, sources say.
One MP told Insider he was already having regrets about having backed Johnson.
Many have been offered junior roles within government, with one rebel Tory MP telling Insider: "Any member of 2019 intake who doesn't have a job have decided they don't want a job."
