South Cambridgeshire MP Anthony Browne says Prime Minister Boris Johnson has to go

Anthony Browne has revealed he was one of the Conservative MPs to trigger a no-confidence vote in Prime Minister Boris Johnson last month.

The South Cambridgeshire MP made the announcement on Twitter this evening (Tuesday) adding that “it is time for Boris to go”.

Mr Browne had previously declined to comment on his stance for the confidence vote, which Mr Johnson won by 211 votes to 148.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak and health secretary Sajid Javid quit Mr Johnson’s cabinet tonight amid a row over the handling of misconduct claims against ex-deputy chief whip Chris Pincher.

Shortly after Mr Browne tweeted: “It is time for Boris to go. This is the letter of no confidence I sent Sir Graham Brady a month ago today.

“The latest revelations just confirm me in my view: he has to go.”

In the letter, Mr Browne wrote that his constituents were “almost unanimous” in wanting the Prime Minister “removed from office”.

“The anger against him, even among party members, is long-running and almost tangible. His continuing occupation of Number 10 is seriously damaging the reputation of local Conservative Party and hardworking Conservative councillors.”

Mr Browne has worked on and off with the Prime Minister for nearly two decades and was advisor to Mr Johnson when he was Mayor of London.

He continued: “I have worked with the Prime Minister for a long time, and have been very loyal to him. Loyalty is very important to me personally, but there is more to being an MP than loyalty.

“It is time to restore trust in politics, and competence in government. The Prime Minister needs to move on from the last chance saloon.”

Mr Browne then tweeted a second letter to Sir Graham Brady with today’s date stating that the Prime Minister “must be removed from office” if he does not resign.

In this letter, he wrote: “The current situation is completely untenable.”