NORTH Essex Conservative MPs rallied round the Prime Minister yesterday ahead of a key no confidence vote.

Will Quince and James Cleverly spoke out in support of Johnson, who faced the vote after 54 Conservative MPs submitted letters of no confidence to the 1922 Committee.

MP for Colchester, Will Quince, published a tweet less than half an hour after it was announced a ballot was to be held, saying the Government should “get on with the job” of fighting the cost of living crisis and helping Ukraine following the Russian invasion.

In a tweet published at 8.59am on Monday, he wrote: “My constituents want and deserve their Government focusing on our economy, the cost of living and the war in Ukraine.

“I continue to back Boris Johnson as Prime Minister as we continue delivering on the priorities of the British people.

“Let’s get on with the job.”

It continued Mr Quince’s long-standing support of the PM, after he backed Mr Johnson whilst he faced allegations of breaking lockdown rules when parties were held in Downing Street.

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Mr Quince also supported Mr Johnson after the Prime Minister was criticised in the Sue Gray report for “failures of leadership and judgement".

Adam Fox, Labour councillor for Old Heath and deputy leader of Colchester Council, wrote on social media that it was “very disappointing” Mr Quince had given Mr Johnson his backing.

He wrote: “Colchester residents deserve better than the current Prime Minister.

“Time to vote to remove Boris Johnson.”

James Cleverly, who was elected as the MP for Braintree in 2015, also took to social media to say he would be voting in Mr Johnson’s favour.

Also Minister at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Mr Cleverly cited Mr Johnson’s position as mayor of London as reason for his backing.

He wrote on Twitter: “Boris won London twice (both against expectations), and then governed brilliantly.

“He took us from under ten per cent in an election to an 80-seat majority, delivered Brexit, vaccine roll-out, support for Ukraine, extra cops, docs, nurses etc, etc.

“I’m not going to go flaky on him now.”

 

Mid-Essex MPs refuse to be drawn on Johnson's future

 

Other Conservative MPs refused to be drawn on the impending vote on Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s future on Monday.

Neither Sir Bernard Jenkin, the Conservative MP for Harwich and North Essex, nor Giles Watling, Conservative MP for Clacton, affirmed whether or not Prime Minister Boris Johnson had their support.

Mr Watling, who became MP for Clacton in 2017, told the Gazette that although he did not back Boris Johnson’s premiership, he did not feel it was the right time to call for the PM’s resignation either.

He said: “We have a war, fuel crisis and a serious cost of living issue to be dealing with and in my view we don't need a leadership contest now,” he said.

“Having said that, I have never really supported Boris for PM - as incumbent he has my current support and there will be a time when he has to go.

“The day of reckoning will come.”

Sir Bernard stated he would make no public comment on how he would vote, citing his membership of the Privileges Committee.

Home Secretary Priti Patel, the MP for Witham and a committed backer of Boris Johnson, previously called on MPs to back off from calling for Mr Johnson's resignation and said he must be left to get on with running the country.