A SOUTHEND MP has come out swinging for Boris Johnson who faces a crisis vote over his future.
Boris Johnson will face a vote of confidence by Tory MPs on Monday evening as discontent over the lockdown-busting parties in No 10 and the direction of the Prime Minister’s leadership reached a tipping point.
Rochford and Southend East MP James Duddridge this morning tweeted his support for the beleaguered PM, claiming constituents he had spoken to on the train into London were backing Mr Johnson.
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He tweeted: “Busy day at in [sic] Westminster. Constituents on the train offering the PM their best in the vote tonight. We need to get on with the job and tonight’s vote will draw a line under these issues.”
Busy day at in Westminster. Constituents on the train offering the PM their best in the vote tonight. We need to get on with the job and tonight’s vote will draw a line under these issues. #BackBoris
— James Duddridge MP (@JamesDuddridge) June 6, 2022
Southend Labour councillor Matt Dent responded: "This didn't happen so much it unhappened several things that had."
Mr Duddridge was named the new Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to the Prime Minister in February.
A PPS is an unpaid assistant to a minister, and role earmarked Mr Duddridge as one of the PM's closest allies.
The Ministerial Code says that a PPS must avoid "associating themselves with recommendations critical of, or embarrassing to the Government".
The Prime Minister was informed on Sunday that he would face the vote after Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of the backbench 1922 Committee, confirmed he had received the 54 letters from Conservative MPs needed to trigger the ballot.
The vote – by secret ballot – will take place at Westminster today between 6pm and 8pm, with the count to take place immediately afterwards.
A steady stream of Tory MPs called publicly for the Prime Minister to stand down in the wake of Sue Gray’s report into breaches of the Covid regulations in No 10 and Whitehall.
Basildon and Billericay MP John Baron said he could no longer support the Prime Minister following the report's publication.
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