A Cumbrian Conservative MP said it was time for the party to move forward and do the best for the country following the confidence vote in Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Mr Johnson won the support of 211 MPs but 41 per cent of his party voted to get rid of him in the vote, which took place yesterday.
It was triggered after MPs wrote to the 1922 Committee chair Sir Graham Brady following the Partygate scandal.
Neil Hudson, who represents Penrith and the Border, said: “I still maintain that I categorically will not defend the indefensible. I fully share the country’s and my constituents’ outrage and upset about the Downing Street parties when people up and down the land were making huge personal and sometimes tragic sacrifices to do the right thing and obey the public health rules.
“As I have previously stated, if rules and indeed the law have been broken, then quite rightly there should be serious consequences for all those involved, no matter who they are.
“The fact that the law makers went on to break those very laws that they brought in to keep us all safe is deeply damaging for our democracy. I believe that situation is untenable moving forward.
“As I have said previously, I had looked to the Prime Minister to outline a timetable and process for an orderly transition to a leadership election as soon as the situation in Ukraine permitted.
“I believed that destabilising the UK Government at this point would undermine international efforts to support the Ukrainian people and bring the despicable Russian invasion to an end. However, this did not happen and the Conservative Party acted according to party procedure by calling for a vote of no confidence.
“For the reasons I have outlined in my public statements, I expressed a vote of no confidence in Boris Johnson in that 1922 Committee vote. Forty-one per cent of my parliamentary colleagues also voted in this way.
“I sincerely hope that the Prime Minister and the cabinet reflect on this result closely and act accordingly. This is not about Brexit, remain or leave, or part of a campaign by the media or the opposition. This is about honesty and integrity in politics.
“As a democrat, I fully respect the outcome of this vote and believe we now need to move forward to do what is best for our country.”
John Stevenson, Conservative MP for Carlisle, said: “The PM has won the vote of confidence. I accept the result. I am also sure that the PM recognises that a very significant number of Conservative MPs including myself have expressed our concerns.
“I believe that he has to change the way his government functions and reach out to the party.”
Meanwhile, Liberal Democrat Tim Farron said he was dismayed by the results.
Mr Farron, who represents Westmorland and Lonsdale, said: “For Tory MPs to keep Boris Johnson in No.10 shows that they spend more time listening to each other in Westminster than they do listening to the people in their communities.
“It increasingly feels as though the Conservative government are out of touch with people in Cumbria and are taking us for granted.
“It is clear that the Government cannot focus on fighting for us as we struggle with the cost of living crisis and other challenges, as they are too busy fighting each other.”
