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Daily Record
Politics
Peter Davidson

Scots Tory MP quits government job after voting against Boris Johnson

A Scottish Conservative MP has quit his role as a private secretary to Foreign Secretary Liz Truss after voting against Boris Johnson.

John Lamont, MP for Berwickshire, Roxburgh & Selkirk, took to social media after casting his ballot in the confidence vote in the Prime Minister earlier tonight.

He said he had received "thousands of emails" and had "countless conversations" about the PM's performance over the last few weeks and months.

MPs have until 8pm to cast their ballots, with the result of the vote on Johnson's position announced at 9pm.

The ballot was triggered after at least 54 MPs - 15% of the party's representatives in the Commons - said they had no confidence in the Prime Minister.

Lamont wrote: "After considerable thought and reflection, I have made the very difficult decision to resign as Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Foreign Secretary.

"I have loved working with Liz Truss, the team at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and, prior to that, at the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.

"However, tonight I voted against the Prime Minister in the Vote of Confidence.

"The events in Downing Street during the lockdown were unacceptable. People across the country have been rightly deeply angered by what went on.

"Whilst I recognise that changes have been made in Downing Street, the unfortunate reality is that the Government has become overwhelmed by these events, to the detriment of my constituents and people across the United Kingdom.

"The amazing work that this Government is doing in Scotland and across the UK is increasingly being overshadowed.

"This has been an incredibly difficult decision. I know that many colleagues have been wrestling with their conscience during today and I respect that some MPs will have reached a different conclusion."

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