Boris Johnson's actions had 'corrosive effect on public trust', says Newbury MP Laura Farris

Newbury MP Laura Farris has revealed she was among the 148 Conservative MPs who voted against Boris Johnson in the recent vote of no confidence, saying his actions had had a “corrosive effect on public trust”.

Although praising Mr Johnson’s “considerable strengths” and crediting him for winning a “massive majority” and providing “excellent leadership over Ukraine”, she said his “personal failings” had brought him down, in particular “his response to each scandal as it arose”.

Mr Johnson announced today (Thursday) he was stepping down as Prime Minister after a flood of ministerial resignations.

Mrs Farris, who yesterday said she was appalled that "sexual miscreant" Chris Pincher was promoted to Government, said: “Deflecting blame onto others after the Owen Patterson affair, establishing a shadow whipping operation to patrol the corridors and sniff out dissent after Partygate – then promoting those who had participated including Chris Pincher.”

Mrs Farris, who was elected in the 2019 General Election, said the Sue Gray report had been the final straw, which had revealed “a string of unethical and disastrous parties, some planned in advance and which organisers knew to be wrong”.

She continued: “Vomit up the walls, booze on the carpets, cleaners and security staff belittled while citizens endured the most severe restrictions on their personal liberties.

“The rules were not arbitrary.

“They were decided upon by the Prime Minister and were designed to save lives during an unprecedented public health crisis.

“Lockdowns came with profound and sometimes devastating consequences, especially for those who could not be with their loved ones when they died.

“Whether Mr Johnson knew about all of this, which I accept remains a matter of inquiry, he nonetheless presided over the culture that facilitated it.”

Mrs Farris had been a Parliamentary Private Secretary in the Foreign Office until a month ago, when she was appointed as a member of the privileges committee in order to sit in judgement on Mr Johnson’s actions, and had remained tight-lipped on how she had voted in the no confidence ballot.

She went on to say that she hadn’t decided who she would back in the future leadership race.

However, she said her support would go to a “unifying candidate who demonstrates moderate Conservative views, the best intellectual and practical skills for meeting the considerable challenges facing the nation, together with a strong sense of personal integrity and respect for the rule of law”.

To read Mrs Farris' full response, click here