Bury South MP Christian Wakeford declares no confidence in PM

A Bury MP has added his name to the list of those calling for Prime Minister Boris Johnson to resign.

Conservative Christian Wakeford who has represented Bury South since the 2019 election, winning a majority of 402, became the seventh MP to send in a letter of no confidence.

Reports on Tuesday night suggested MPs were furious at the Prime Minister's handling of the 'partygate' scandal engulfing 10 Downing Street.

They were angered further by Mr Johnson's insistence that 'nobody had told him a party at Downing Street would break rules' he himself had set.

Bury South MP gave an indication of his fury in a tweet last week. While many of his colleagues have said publicly they are waiting for Sue Gary's report, Mr Wakeford confirmed he had sent his letter to the Chair of the 1922 committee.

If Sir Graham Brady receives 54 letters that would trigger a vote.

Many of the MPs who have publicly voted against Mr Johnson won their seats in slim majorities in the 2019 election, but some have said the plans to get rid of the Prime Minister go far wider.

MPs from the former Red Wall allegedly met with Mr Johnson to discuss his future in a meeting nicknamed the "pork pie plot" of the "pork pie putsch".

Alicia Kearns, MP for Melton (Mowbray) and Rutland was one of the meeting's instigators which sparked the less than flattering nickname.

It is reported 10 of those 20 MPs have submitted their letters.

Hazel Grove MP William Wragg was one of the first MPs to send in his letter of no confidence in the prime minister.

The Chair of the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Select Committee said: "I don't think it should be left to the findings of a civil servant to determine the future of the Prime Minister and, indeed, who governs this country.

"The Prime Minister’s position is untenable."

Mr Johnson, who was reported to have spent Tuesday evening in his Commons office meeting with potential rebels, apologised multiple times in a major broadcast interview for “misjudgment that were made”.

However, he stuck to his defence that he thought that a "bring your own booze" party in the No.10 garden was just a work event.

All eyes will be on Boris Johnson as he prepares for Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday lunchtime and whether he comes out fighting to keep his job.

Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner, said Mr Johnson “needs to go”.

The MP for Ashton under Lyne said: “I think he’s trying to take the British public for fools. He’s not sorry that he clearly attended a party, knows it’s against the rules; he’s sorry he got caught for it.

“I think people are incredibly frustrated.”

“He won’t, of course, and now it’s up to his MPs to do the right thing.”