THE Conservatives “will be toast” in Colchester at the next election after the city’s MP resigned from his ministerial role over the latest Government scandal, a leading Lib Dem councillor claimed.

Martin Goss, Colchester Council cabinet member and Lib Dem Parliamentary spokesman for the city, hit out at MP Will Quince over his previous support for outgoing PM Boris Johnson.

Mr Quince resigned from his ministerial role in the Department of Education after he repeated an “inaccurate” briefing to the press.

He fielded questions about former Deputy Chief Whip MP Chris Pincher, amid claims he drunkenly groped two men at a Conservative private members’ club.

READ MORE: Colchester MP Will Quince's support for Boris Johnson ends

Mr Quince repeated assurances he had been given by Prime Minister Boris Johnson that he did not know about previous allegations, but his statements were contradicted by the Prime Minister’s own spokesman just hours later.

The Colchester MP had backed the embattled PM for months, most recently in June when he signalled his support ahead of a no-confidence vote.

But he said he had now been left with no choice.

Mr Quince’s resignation was the start of a trickle which turned to a flood, as dozens of junior ministers stepped down from their roles throughout Wednesday and yesterday.

Mr Goss said: "Will Quince and the Conservatives will be toast at the next election without question.

"He put his career first over constituents and he knows it. He has wrongly supported Boris throughout, despite being asked by constituents not to.

"Boris couldn’t go on - his stance of clinging onto power despite over 50 resignations was ludicrous. He’s clearly lost the plot.
"The Lib Dems in Colchester have a good chance of peeling away votes from the Conservatives as the most centralist party."

Mr Quince has been Colchester's MP since 2015 when he won the seat from Liberal Democrat Sir Bob Russell with a majority of 5,000 votes.

He extended that majority to 9,000 votes at the last election in 2019, ahead of Labour candidate Tina McKay in second and Mr Goss, representing the Lib Dems, in third.

READ MORE: Colchester Conservatives 'pleased' to see Boris Johnson step down

Adam Fox, leader of the Labour group on Colchester Council, said: “It’s finally clear that Boris Johnson no longer has the confidence of MPs or the country. But it’s taken far too long to get to this point.

"The Conservatives are distracted by sleaze, corruption and scandal while the rest of us get on with our lives, trying to make ends meet and deal with rising prices for food and fuel.”

He added: “Will Quince may have resigned as a Minister but he will be forever tainted for standing alongside Boris Johnson for months after the revelation of parties in Downing Street during lockdown.

"He may no longer be a minister and come the next general election the people of Colchester will decide he is no longer fit to represent them either.”

The Gazette contacted Mr Quince for comment but he had not responded at the time of going to press.