WARRINGTON South MP Andy Carter says the decision by Boris Johnson to resign as Prime Minister was “the right thing to do” and “in the nation’s best interests.”
Mr Carter had already resigned as a Private Secretary role last month, so he could continue to serve as a member of the Privileges Committee to investigate whether Mr Johnson had deliberately misled the House.
Mr Carter said: “A month ago, I resigned my Parliamentary Private Secretary role at the Department for Work and Pensions. I did so in order to comply with the Ministerial Code and to continue to serve as a member of the Privileges Committee, sitting in judgement of the Prime Minister following allegations he ‘deliberately misled’ Parliament. Contempt is a matter which would require Mr Johnson to resign if he were to be found in breach.
“Given the events of the last few days, which have nothing to do with the statements Boris Johnson made to Parliament, I believe this is the right thing to do and is in the nation’s best interests.
“I am incredibly proud and honoured to represent my home area in Parliament, and I will continue to serve Warrington South constituents with the determination, energy and commitment they deserve.”
Mr Carter made his comments after local Lib Dem leader on Warrington Borough Council, Cllr. Bob Barr called on Mr Carter to make his position clear following the resignation annoucement.
Cllr Barr said: “Not before time Downing Street has announced that Boris Johnson will resign. I understand that Andy Carter MP resigned from his Parliamentary Personal Secretary post in government a few weeks before the current crisis. Warrington voters deserve a clear statement on his position.
“How is it remotely possible that Boris Johnson will stay on as “caretaker” Prime Minister until the Conservative leadership contest is concluded?
“His government has collapsed. He has no credibility.
“Let us never forget that the Conservative Party has condoned, benefited from, repeated, and encouraged Boris Johnson’s lies since 2016.
“His legacy will be a badly damaged country which will be hard to unite.”
Announcing his resignation as Prime Minister Mr Johnson said: “No one in politics is remotely indispensable.”
He thanked the millions of people who voted Conservative at the last election, saying the reason he fought on so long to stay in office was because he thought “it was my job, my duty and my obligation to you”.
He added that he had tried to persuade his cabinet it would be “eccentric” to change Prime Minister adding: “I regret not to have been successful in those arguments. At Westminster, the herd instinct is powerful and when the herd moves, it moves.”
He confirmed the process to appoint a new leader would begin now, with a timetable set out next week, although it is still not clear exactly when he will leave Number 10 for the final time.
Meanwhile, Warrington North’s Labour MP Charlotte Nichols said: “Boris Johnson is unfit to govern and he needs to go now, we cannot drag this charade on any longer and the Government is in absolute paralysis the longer he limps on.
“While the country has needed strong leadership, he has swung from crisis to crisis of his own making, and has ultimately been brought down by his dishonesty, utter lack of integrity and lack of respect for our country’s institutions and constitutional norms.
“The British people deserve better than this, and the sooner he is removed from Number 10, the sooner we can begin to repair the damage he has done.”
“Labour is preparing to bring forward a vote of no confidence, as it is not tenable that he continues as Prime Minister until the autumn.”
