AN Andover councillor has said that the town's MP's decision to back the Prime Minister in last night's vote of no confidence was "shocking", and "insulting to people in our area".

On Monday (June 6) following the triggering of a no-confidence vote, Tory MPs voted to keep Boris Johnson as party leader and Prime Minister by 211 votes to 148.

Ahead of the vote, Kit Malthouse, MP for North West Hampshire, told the Advertiser he would be 'backing Boris', adding: "He’s got Brexit done, delivered the fastest vaccine rollout in Europe, and quickly restored our freedoms. Now, he’s standing up to Putin and helping families meet the cost of living.

"We must come together and get on with our job.”

SEE ALSO: 'I'll be backing Boris': Andover's MP reacts to news that PM to face vote of no confidence

Reacting to the result, Andover town councillor Luigi Gregori, who is also the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary spokesperson for North West Hampshire, said: “It was time Kit Malthouse finally did his patriotic duty and sacked Boris Johnson. Our country needs strong leadership, and we cannot have any more of this nonsense."

He continued: "Over 40 per cent of the Prime Minister’s MPs felt that he should go. The Conservative party is wasting precious time with these internal squabbles. We need an emergency tax cut, not a Westminster soap opera.

“If Kit Malthouse and his colleagues had the courage and decency to act months ago when the rest of the country all knew Boris Johnson had to go, then we wouldn’t be in this mess right now. It is shocking to see the local Conservative MP remain loyal to Boris Johnson. By supporting a law-breaking and lying Prime Minister, they are insulting people in our area who made heart breaking sacrifices during the pandemic.”

Tweeting after the vote result was announced, Kit Malthouse added: "Glad it's done. Glad we won. Now back to work."

Cllr Gregori added that there is a "split in Test Valley", referencing Caroline Nokes - MP for Romsey and other areas of the borough - who has previously spoken out about her opposition to Boris Johnson as PM.

SEE ALSO: Caroline Nokes MP slams Boris Johnson on special Partygate Panorama

In a BBC Panorama interview last month, she said: “I wrote my letter of no confidence a long time ago – I feel the Prime Minister has let down my constituents and I have been 100 per cent consistent with that view.

“When people write to you, they tell you their background. They tell you things like, ‘I have always been a Conservative supporter and I’ve voted Conservative in every election since I was 18 years old’. But they’re now saying they can’t do so again because they feel the Prime Minister has let them down.”

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