A Conservative MP has received a round of applause from the Labour benches after calling on Boris Johnson to resign from No 10 at prime minister’s questions.
Gary Sambrook, the Tory MP and executive secretary of the party’s 1922 committee, accused Mr Johnson of attempting “to blame other people for mistakes”, and told him directly: “Take responsibility and resign”.
Citing an example, Mr Sambrook told colleagues that in “an attempt to boost morale in the tearoom” on Wednesday, the prime minister referred to misconduct allegations against the former chief whip Christopher Pincher.
He said “there were seven people, MPs, in the Carlton Club last week and one of them should have tried to intervene to stop Chris from drinking so much”.
Mr Sambrook added: “As if that wasn’t insulting enough to the people who did try and intervene that night. And then also to the victims that drink was the problem.
“Isn’t it the example that the prime minister constantly tries to deflect from the issue, always tries to blame other people for mistakes and that at least nothing left for him to do other than to take responsibility and resign?”
His comment was met with an applause by the opposition benches, which was immediately scolded by Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle.
Mr Johnson replied: “There is a very simple reason why they want me out, and that is because they know that otherwise we are going to get on and deliver our mandate and win another general election.”
During the session, the Conservative MP Tim Loughton also asked the prime minister: “Does the prime minister think there are any circumstances which he should resign”.
And former cabinet minister David Davis, who has previously called on Mr Johnson to resign, urged him to put the “interests of the country” first.
He said: “Six months ago I called on the prime minister to resign because even then it was clear that his approach to leadership and integrity was already creating a pipeline of problems that will paralyse proper government.
“Today I ask him to do the honourable thing, to put the interests of the nation before his own interests and before, in his own words, it does become impossible for government to do its job.”
