Tory peer: 'I'd rather Boris Johnson didn't carry on. I don't see any contrition'

7 June 2022, 19:13 | Updated: 7 June 2022, 20:47

Tory peer Baroness Helena Morrissey speaks about PM

Boris Johnson should step down 'with dignity' rather than carry on fighting for his position, a Tory peer told LBC this evening.

Baroness Helena Morrissey, a staunch Brexiteer, told Tonight with Andrew Marr the government had failed to seize on making the most of Brexit and was “limping along” and needed to do more to promote the benefits of leaving the EU.

“Nobody is talking about how brilliant the UK is. We need to have more investment to help our brilliant fintech sector. It can’t be a policy one minute and then flip over to another one.”

She also spoke about scenes over the Jubilee weekend when Mr Johnson was faced with boos at St Paul's: "When [wavering MPs] saw the booing at St Paul’s they would see the PM is a liability rather than an asset."

"In all honesty I would rather he didn’t [carry on as prime minister]. I don’t see any contrition.

"I do think it will be damaging [for the party] I don’t think we’ve seen the end of it.

"I would hope he would be able to go with dignity. He’s a very talented person, he’s just in the wrong job."

Read more: Moment Boris Johnson gets booed at Queen's thanksgiving service

Read more: Boris's 'best hope of survival': Uniting Tories with the help of May and Cameron

Platinum Jubilee: Boris and Carrie Johnson arrive at St Paul's Thanksgiving service

Mr Johnson used a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday to attempt to show "we are going to get on with the job" after he was left badly wounded by the revolt against his leadership.

The Prime Minister survived a confidence vote on Monday night, but 148 of his own MPs declared they had no faith in his ability to lead the party.

Allies have rallied round Mr Johnson, but former Tory leader Lord Hague said "the damage done to his premiership is severe" and he should quit rather than prolong the agony.

Tory MPs voted by 211 to 148 in support of the Prime Minister, but the scale of the opposition was greater than that seen in 2018 when Theresa May faced a confidence vote. She was ultimately forced out within months.

Mr Johnson claims the vote allows him to draw a line under the question of his leadership despite 41% of his MPs having no confidence in him.

As he prepared for a Cabinet meeting in No 10, Mr Johnson said: "This is a Government that delivers on what the people of this country care about most.

Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab told LBC this morning: "I think we draw a line in the sand after this vote, it was clearly and decisively won.

"We move forward to deliver for the people of the country and that is the way we do the right thing by our constituents."