Christchurch MP wants general election after Truss resigns

The veteran Tory politician has said a general election needs to be called.

Ms Truss announced she would be stepping down as Prime Minister and leader of the Conservative Party in a brief statement outside Number 10 on the afternoon of Thursday, October 20.

• LIVE: Prime Minister Liz Truss resigns as leader of the Conservative Party

Reacting to the end of her premiership after just 44 days, Sir Christopher told Daily Echo: “I think it is a disaster. A disaster for the country, a disaster for the Conservative Party. It shows the Conservative parliamentary party is ungovernable.

“I said if we got rid of Liz Truss, my revolting colleagues have forced her out of office, we need a general election – that remains my view.”

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He said he had “no idea” who should take over and that he was considering being a “conscious abstainer.

Sir Christopher said he found the whole situation “beyond belief”.

After Boris Johnson resigned as Prime Minister back in July, Sir Christopher said people would “rue the day” he was forced to step down.

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Asked if he felt vindicated now, the backbench MP said: “Sadly, I am vindicated. Liz Truss never wanted Boris Johnson to go and she never would have stood for the leadership if he remained in office.

Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson (Image: PA)

“If he was willing to stand again I would support him but I think that is probably a long shot.”

Discussing what his constituents thought of recent events, Sir Christopher said: “We had a meeting last Saturday. Apart from one dissenting voice, everyone else was fully supportive of the prime minister and were absolutely exasperated by the behaviour of my parliamentary colleagues.”