Cumbria’s political leaders have been reacting to the news that Prime Minister Boris Johnson has resigned as leader of the Conservative Party.
Mr Johnson will stay on as Prime Minister until October and a leadership contest will be held in the summer.
In his resignation speech, Johnson said he had tried to convince colleagues it was an eccentric decision to change the government and blamed herd instinct in Westminster for his exit.
John Stevenson, Carlisle MP
John Stevenson, Conservative MP for Carlisle, has been calling for Mr Johnson’s resignation since the publication of the Sue Gray report. He said that the PM made the right decision.
Mr Stevenson said that while Mr Johnson was at the helm during COVID-19 and delivered Brexit, there were other issues that were undermining his premiership and the office of 10 Downing Street.
He said: “I think there’s recognition that he has done some good things but his Number 10 operations and culture he created I think has undermined his leadership.
Mr Stevenson backed Tom Tugendhat, MP for Tonbridge and Malling for the forthcoming leadership race.
“I’ve been supportive of him, I would say the next leader I would prefer is someone who comes out of the cabinet.”
He said that Mr Tugendhat was somebody who could unite the party.”
Trudy Harrison, Copeland MP
Neil Hudson, Penrith and the Border MP
However, Penrith and the Border MP Neil Hudson has welcomed the news.
The Conservative MP said: “This was the right and proper thing to do for our country. I have consistently called on him to announce that he would bring forth a leadership transition for some time now.
“With the cost of living crisis, the war in Ukraine and a whole host of other pressing issues, the UK needs stable governance.
“We need a new leader in place as soon as possible to keep the engine of government turning – a leader who can restore honesty and integrity into politics and move the nation forward as one.
“I pay tribute to Mr Johnson’s achievements in office, not least overseeing the COVID vaccination rollout and the UK’s support for our friends in beleaguered Ukraine. I will continue my focus of representing the people of Penrith and the Border to the best of my ability.”
Mark Jenkinson, Workington MP
Workington MP Mark Jenkinson said he was incredibly sad that Mr Johnson resigned today.
Mr Jenkinson, one of the 2019 intake of Red Wall Tories lamented the loss of a Prime Minister who led the party to a victory of 43.6 per cent of seats in the last General Election.
Mr Jenkinson said: “Today we should have been hosting Boris Johnson here in Workington. I am relieved that the events of the last few days are coming to an end, but I’m also incredibly sad at the loss of a Prime Minister who led us to such an incredible election victory.
He said: “He delivered Brexit, led us through COVID, led the world in it’s support for Ukraine and has only just started to deliver tax reform that will benefit each of us.
“I was proud to back him to be the leader of our party, and I have been proud to call Boris Johnson a friend to Workington.
“As 2022 progresses we’ll see the fruits of that friendship – that predates his announcement of the Town Deal shortlist at the start of his tenure, when I was deputy leader of Allerdale Borough Council.
“There will be many that gloat today but beneath it all, we must not forget, is a human being with a family. Every one of us comes into politics to make a positive difference, though we may differ on how we get there. Politics is rewarding but often so brutal.
“Boris can hold his head and say confidently that he’s made that positive difference to the lives of tens of millions of people, both here and across the world.”
Cumbria’s other Conservative MP, Barrow and Furness’ Simon Fell has not responded.
Tim Farron, Westmorland and Lonsdale MP
The Liberal Democrat MP said: “Boris Johnson’s lasting legacy as Prime Minister is that he has lowered the standards of public life so much that they are now in the sewer. But he didn’t do it all on his own.
“Day after day, Conservative MPs have defended and promoted Boris Johnson’s serial dishonesty.
“Conservative MPs stood by him when he mocked people in Cumbria and across the country when he broke the lockdown rules that he thought we should all abide by but that he felt he didn’t need to.
“Millions of people are struggling with the cost of living who desperately need the Government to help them and yet for the past seven months they’ve seen Conservative MPs spending all their time and energy on covering up scandals and throwing our politics into chaos.
“The British public will not forget the role that Conservative MPs have played in letting Boris Johnson get away with his dishonesty for so long.
“We would not accept this sort of behaviour for example from a head teacher, a business leader or a chair of parish council, yet Conservative MPs appear to be happy for him to stay on until autumn. They are completely out of touch with what British people feel is right and decent.”
