West Dorset MP calls on Prime Minister to resign

"I think he does need to go", says Chris Loder

Author: George SharpePublished 6th Jul 2022
Last updated 6th Jul 2022

The MP for West Dorset has criticised the Prime Minister and called on him to resign.

It follows the resignations of members of a number of ministers from Government, including now-ex-Chancellor Rishi Sunak and the now-former Health Secretary Sajid Javid.

Tory MP for West Dorset Chris Loder has said the issues faced by the Conservative Party in recent days will be "difficult for us electorally".

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "My constituents in West Dorset are now very clear that they have considerable concern about what they hear from the Prime Minister and this last few days has heightened that to the extent where I'm not sure this is even defensible.

"When it takes a retired civil servant to correct the Prime Minister's office, that just isn't on.

"For those of us who are members of Parliament, it is quite right that we ensure that we hold the Government to account on these matters. That's exactly what we're going to do."

He added that the 1922 Committee will be "considering" that Prime Minister Boris Johnson recently survived a vote of no confidence and hinted that rules may be changed to allow another vote to take place sooner.

Again speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "Not necessarily today, but we know that there are forthcoming elections to the 1922 Committee executive.

"Of course, it is within the gift of the executive to make amendments to those rules should they so wish, and we are at a point of democracy within the Conservative Party itself to actually return an executive reflective of the views of the back benches.

"I have no idea who's going to stand, I suspect we will hear a little bit more about that over the next day or so. I certainly think now that those who stand for the 1922 Committee executive should consider that course of action now."

Hear all the latest news from across the UK on the hour, every hour, on Greatest Hits Radio on DAB, at greatesthitsradio.co.uk, and on the Greatest Hits Radio app.