Sutton Coldfield Tory MP withdraws support for Boris Johnson

Conservative MP Andrew Mitchell had previously attended a meeting to withdraw support for Boris Johnson

A former cabinet minister has withdrawn his support for the prime minister following Sue Gray's report into Downing Street parties during lockdown.

Speaking in Parliament, Andrew Mitchell, Conservative MP for Sutton Coldfield, said Boris Johnson "no longer enjoys my support".

Mr Mitchell, a long standing party member, added he was "deeply concerned" by the report's findings.

Mr Johnson said Mr Mitchell was mistaken in his view.

Mr Mitchell, MP for Sutton Coldfield since 2001, spoke after the prime minister addressed Members of Parliament after the report found "failures of leadership and judgement" in Downing Street.

He said he had previously given Mr Johnson his "full-throated support".

"But I am deeply concerned by these events and very concerned indeed by some of the things he has said from that despatch box and has said to the British public and our constituents.

"When he kindly invited me to see him 10 days ago, I told him that I thought he should think very carefully about what was now in the best interests of our country and of the Conservative Party, and I have to tell him he no longer enjoys my support."

"I must tell him respectfully, my right honourable friend, great though the admiration is that I have of him, I simply think that he is mistaken in his views and urge him to reconsider upon full consideration of the inquiry," Mr Johnson said.

Wolverhampton South West MP Stuart Anderson is among Tories voicing support for the prime minister

Speaking on Radio 4's Today programme on Tuesday, Mr Mitchell said Mr Johnson had done a "fantastic" job over Brexit, but the "erosion of public trust" in the PM and Conservatives over the parties was not going to go away.

"I do think that he needs to think very carefully now whether remaining is the right thing for our country, whether it is the right thing for the Conservative party," he said.

"Boris is running a modern government like a medieval court. You need to rule and govern through the structures, through Whitehall, through the cabinet, through the National Security Council.

"That is not the way with Boris and many of us thought he would govern in the way he did when he was Mayor of London, through being chairman of the board, running a very good team; that is not what has happened here.

"What he needs to do is govern through these structures I've described, and make sure he has got competent people out in the departments delivering on the agenda of the British people."

Analysis, Elizabeth Glinka, BBC Midlands Political Editor

When you consider that the Conservative association in Sutton Coldfield voted unanimously just two weeks ago in a vote of no confidence in Boris Johnson, then perhaps it is not so surprising that the MP has made this intervention.

Tory MPs do tend to listen to what their Conservative associations say to them. Nevertheless, this is an important intervention by a senior backbencher, not just an ex-minister but also a former whip.

There is still substantial support on the Conservative backbenches for the prime minister. Among those speaking were Midlands MPs Suzanne Webb (Stourbridge) and Bill Cash (Stone).

Mr Johnson apologised in the House of Commons and said there would be changes at Number 10. Nevertheless, there were others calling for the full Sue Gray report to be published.

Mr Mitchell is from a line of Conservative party members, with his father Sir David Mitchell serving as a junior minister during Margaret Thatcher's government.

Earlier this month Mr Mitchell attended a meeting held by his constituency to withdraw its support from Boris Johnson, where he refrained from voting.

Other West Midlands MPs have shown support for the PM, including Conservative Birmingham Northfield MP Gary Sambrook who said: "He's made promises on how he wants to change how he does things, how he wants to deliver for my constituents and the UK and I support him in doing that."

Stuart Anderson, Conservative MP for Wolverhampton South West, said he welcomed Mr Johnson's apology and called on colleagues to unite.