Conservative MP Michael Fabricant calls Boris Johnson a 'visionary' as prime minister resigns

Michael Fabricant has described Boris Johnson as a "visionary" and said he "will be hard to replace".

The Tory MP for Lichfield says he continued to support Mr Johnson until the end but recognises his time as prime minister is now "untenable".

It comes as Mr Johnson announced he is resigning as the leader of the Conservative Party today (July 7) after more than 50 MPs resigned from government positions.

In a statement, Mr Fabricant said: "I regret that Boris Johnson has had to stand down.

"He had my support to the very end, but with so many resignations from the government and the haemorrhaging of confidence in him from within the wider Conservative Parliamentary Party, I can understand that he felt his position had become untenable.

"Boris is a visionary and I have no doubt that without him we would not have achieved Brexit, initiated the very first Covid public vaccine programme in the world, or been the very first country to supply arms to Ukraine ahead of the Russian invasion.

'He will be hard to replace', Michael Fabricant says

Mr Fabricant continued: "He has never been frightened of making tough and bold decisions. He will be hard to replace.

"He is right to remain as Prime Minister until a successor is found.

"Both the Labour and Conservative parties have done this in the past and I am sure that the ministerial vacancies that currently exist will now soon be filled."

"I hope that whoever replaces Boris as prime minister will share his vision for this country as a sovereign and independent nation while protecting the poor and encouraging wealth creation."

He added: "I hope that the transition will be smooth and without rancour. It’s important that the country now moves on from this turbulent period."

Other MPs in the Midlands were among those who called for Johnson to resign.

The MP for Stratford-upon-Avon Nadhim Zahawi chose not to resign but after being appointed chancellor he pushed the PM into quitting as party leader.

Mr Johnson plans to remain in post until a new leader is found and has said he wants to stay on until the Conservative Party conference in October.