Boris Johnson has been hit by a devastating Tory defection to Labour just ahead of his appearance at Prime Minister’s Questions
In a dramatically timed resignation the Labour confirm that the Conservative MP Christian Wakeford has defected to them.
Keir Starmer said: “I would like to welcome Christian Wakeford to the Labour Party. He has always put the people of Bury South first.
"As Christian said, the policies of the Conservative government are doing nothing to help the people of Bury South and, indeed, are only making the struggles they face on a daily basis worse.
"I'm determined to build a new Britain which guarantees security, prosperity and respect for all, and I'm delighted that Christian has decided to join us in this endeavour."
Wakeford won Bury South, which had elected a Labour MP at every election since 1997, in 2019.
He announced his decision in the Bury Times and sent a letter to Johnson explaining why he had lost patience with his leadership.
Wakeford said: "I care passionately about the people of Bury South and I have concluded that the policies of the Conservative government that you lead are doing nothing to help the people of my constituency and indeed are only making the struggles they face on a daily basis worse.
"Britain needs a government focused on tackling the cost of living crisis and providing a path out of the pandemic that protects living standards and defends the security of all.
"It needs a government that upholds the highest standards of integrity and probity in public life and sadly both you and the Conservative Party as a whole have shown themselves incapable of offering the leadership and government this country deserves."
To sign up to the Daily Record Politics newsletter, click here.
