Labour MPs across the North East are calling on the Conservatives to "do the right thing" and vote against the Prime Minister as he faces a vote of no confidence.
Boris Johnson will face a vote of no confidence later on today after Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of the backbench 1922 Committee, confirmed in a statement that he had received the 54 letters from Conservative MPs needed to trigger a vote. The vote – by secret ballot – will take place at Westminster on Monday between 6pm and 8pm, with the count taking place afterwards.
While Mr Johnson has received support from senior figures including Health Secretary Sajid Javid and Chancellor Rishi Sunak he has also been hit with fierce criticism. Former foreign secretary, Jeremy Hunt, said that he would vote against the Prime Minister, warning the Tories would lose the next election if he remained in post.
Read more: The North East Conservative MPs backing Boris Johnson ahead of no confidence vote
A number of North East Labour MPs have also spoken out to urge Conservative MPs to vote against the Prime Minister. Emma Lewell-Buck, MP for South Shields, accused Mr Johnson of "eroding the democratic values we all hold dear".
The MP said: "It’s about time Tory MPs stepped up and realised what a dangerous man the PM is. Every single day he remains in office he is eroding the democratic values we all hold dear. At tonight’s vote, I sincerely hope they do the right thing for our country."
Ian Mearns, MP for Gateshead, said constituents will be "livid" at the way the Prime Minister has behaved and that he couldn't think of another Prime Minister in his lifetime who would not have already resigned.
He said: "It is quite clear that if the Prime Minister survives this vote, despite breaking Covid Regulations, breaking the Ministerial Code, and repeatedly lying to parliament, it will be because Conservative MPs have allowed him to do so.
"This is a vote amongst Tory MPs alone and their constituents need to let them know in no uncertain terms their view of them keeping this, clearly corrupt, governmental executive in place. If their constituents are anything like mine in Gateshead they will be livid at the way in which the Prime Minister has behaved.
"I can’t think of another Prime Minister in my lifetime who would not have already resigned months ago. But words like integrity honesty and probity have no meaning for Johnson. Let’s see if they (the Tory MPs) have the courage actually to do the right thing for the country."
Meanwhile, Ian Lavery, MP for Wansbeck, sent a letter to Anne-Marie Trevelyan MP, Guy Opperman MP and Ian Levy MP urging them in the interest of the people of Northumberland to vote against the Prime Minister in the no confidence vote later this evening. Anne-Marie Trevelyan and Guy Opperman have already expressed their support for the Prime Minister.
In a letter to the MPs, Mr Lavery said: "The reality is that the PM has become nothing but a distraction at a time when we simply cannot afford one. We are facing a cost of living crisis and soaring inflation levels, rapid increases in child poverty in our region, crumbling NHS services all over the country and war in Europe once more.
"The Prime Minister has overseen a culture in Downing Street where casual rule-breaking has been normalised, embodying the ugly side of the Conservative Party of which I am sure none of you will want to be associated. All our constituents made tremendous sacrifices throughout the pandemic for the sake of the health of our country the Prime Minister saw himself as above the rules. The disrespect he has shown each of you as well as your constituents should be more than enough for you to have lost your confidence in his leadership.
"We may disagree on the majority of political issues but I know that you all care deeply about the future of Northumberland. I sincerely hope you will put the needs of our country and our county ahead of keeping a man in whom the public have lost, [sic] in Downing Street. You have the opportunity this evening to do the right thing and express no confidence, anything other means you are complicit in the unfolding disaster."
Meanwhile, Easington MP, Grahame Morris, said: "A no-confidence vote in the Prime Minister is long overdue. This vote is a test of the values and principles of the Conservative Party and whether they uphold standards in public life.
"We await the result but if a significant number of his own party vote against him, the Prime Minister should stand down. If not, I hope the Opposition will call a no-confidence vote in the Commons and allow Parliament to remove this disgraced Prime Minister."
Bridget Phillipson, MP for Houghton and Sunderland South and Shadow Education Secretary, said: "The Prime Minister has lost the trust, confidence and respect of the British people. They are rightly fed up with the lies and the chaos we see from this government.
"Boris Johnson is more concerned with protecting his job, than protecting the public from the cost of living crisis his ministers have made worse. It’s time for Conservative MPs to do the decent thing, the Prime Minister has got to go."
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