North Herefordshire MP praises ‘historic’ PM

North Herefordshire MP Sir Bill Wiggin has praised outgoing Prime Minister Boris Johnson as “a political communicator and leader of historic proportions”.

Speaking yesterday evening during a Commons debate before a confidence motion in the Government, Sir Bill said Mr Johnson “remains one of the rare politicians who is on first-name terms with the public, [and] remains immensely popular across the country”.

“He loves his children, he is caring and he is loyal,” he said. “Despite all the horrible things said about him, he is never rude back.

“It is a great shame he is going.  I am proud to have supported him. He is right to leave with his head held high.”

He did acknowledge that “by own admission, mistakes have been made” by the Government.

“At every opportunity, the Prime Minister has shown contrition and a desire to get on with a Conservative agenda,” he said.

“However, the mud-slinging and the relentless nature of politics and the media eventually take their toll on even the steeliest character.”
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said the PM “has been forced out in disgrace, judged by his colleagues and peers to be unworthy of his position and unfit for his office”.

The motion of confidence in the Government, brought by the Government at the request of the Opposition, was carried by 349 votes to 238.

Boris Johnson had earlier said he had “no idea why” Labour had “insisted” on the motion – before being told by Speaker Lindsay Hoyle: “It’s actually the Government that has put it down for today.”