"A clear line needs to be drawn under this period of government."
That was the view of Stephen Crabb, MP for Preseli Pembrokeshire, after Boris Johnson finally succumbed to the mounting pressure from his Government and resigned as Tory leader.
He said that trust and goodwill towards Boris "had been draining away" throughout the year, and ultimately this has led to "a breakdown in effective government."
Mr Johnson will remain as Prime Minister until a successor is in place, which is expected to be by the time of the Conservative Party conference in October.
Crabb, who has confirmed that he voted against Mr Johnson in the confidence vote last month, had called for Mr Johnson to resign "for the good of the country".
“It is always sad to see a Prime Minister's time in office cut short, but it was the right decision for Boris Johnson to resign as Conservative Party leader today," said Mr Crabb.
“Although I did not support him for the leadership in 2019, he won that contest comfortably and went on to lead my party to its biggest general election majority in thirty years.
“He has shown some strong qualities during his time in office, and his clear-sighted leadership over Ukraine has been enormously important in galvanising the western alliance.
“But these qualities have been overshadowed by controversy and question marks over his honesty.
"Trust and good will towards him have been draining away throughout this year, and ultimately this has led to a breakdown in effective government.
MORE NEWS
- Prince Charles visits Narberth on tour of Wales
- Man charged with four counts of sexual communication with a child
“At a time of extraordinary pressures on families as a result of the cost-of-living crisis, we just cannot afford to see dozens of high-quality ministers leaving their positions," he added.
“Personally, I would prefer to see a caretaker Prime Minister take the reins while a proper leadership contest takes place. A clear line needs to be drawn under this period of government.
“There are tough challenges ahead for the nation, and some difficult decisions to be taken.
"It is now essential that we get on with job of finding the right person who will be able to lead the strongest possible team at this time.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel