High Peak MP Robert Largan has said the country "now needs fresh leadership" as calls for Prime Minister Boris Johnson to resign intensify. 

At least 38 ministers and aides have quit the government since Rishi Sunak and Sajid Javid resigned as Chancellor and Health Secretary respectively on Tuesday evening (5 July). 

MPs are angry at Mr Johnson’s handling of sexual misconduct claims against former deputy chief whip Chris Pincher and a group of cabinet ministers are understood to be calling on the PM to resign.

With his premiership in increasing peril, Mr Johnson has remained defiant and insisted he won’t leave Number 10 Downing Street, holding his regular audience with the Queen via phone. 

The 1922 committee of Tory MPs won't be changing its rules to allow another confidence vote in Mr Johnson - though elections to the committee next week could change that. 

High Peak’s Conservative MP, who was elected in December 2019 at the last general election, has repeated his message that he “will not defend the indefensible”. 

In a statement on his Facebook page and sent in an email newsletter on Wednesday evening (6 July), Mr Largan revealed publicly for the first time that he wrote to Sir Graham Brady - the Chairman of the 1922 Committee - on 8 December 2021 calling for a vote of confidence in the PM and that he voted against Mr Johnson when the vote was held last month. 

The High Peak MP has also said that he is “deeply disappointed” in the PM’s handling of allegations of sexual assault against Mr Pincher, describing it as “simply indefensible”. 

Mr Largan went on to say that honesty and integrity are “the absolute minimum we should expect from our elected representatives” and, although Mr Johnson has “done some really important things during his time in office”, he said it is “very clear” that the country “now needs fresh leadership”. 

High Peak MP Robert Largan’s statement in full:

“I have always said that I will take an independent-minded approach to being your local Member of Parliament, putting the High Peak ahead of party politics.

“I have always been prepared to speak up when I believe the Government have got things wrong. That includes voting against the Government on a number of occasions, including on the issue of standards in public life.

“By taking this approach, I have been able to help secure significant changes in the law, most recently on placing a public duty on water companies to prevent raw sewage from being discharged into rivers and waterways. I am proud of my record of standing up for what is right.

"I didn't give up my career in finance and spend every week away from my family to defend the indefensible or just tell people what they want to hear.

“Lots of constituents have been in touch with me over the last few days, weeks and months, to ask me my views on what has happened in Downing Street.

“I have previously replied to everyone who has contacted me to make it clear that I have been taking the appropriate action to defend integrity in public life. Given the events of the last few days, I want to make it clear exactly what that means.

“On 8 December 2021, I wrote to the Chairman of the 1922 Committee calling for a vote of confidence in the Prime Minister. I voted against the Prime Minister on 6 June. 

“Like everyone else in the High Peak, I followed Covid restrictions even when it meant not being able to see my family. I wasn’t able to hold an 80th birthday party for my father. Nor was I able to see my newborn nephew and niece for the first few months of their lives. I’ve been unable to attend funerals too.

“I will not defend the indefensible. It is clear that breaches of Covid restrictions took place in Downing Street and that has been confirmed by the Metropolitan Police and Sue Gray’s report.  

“I am also deeply disappointed by the Prime Minister's handling of the allegations of sexual assault against the former Deputy Chief Whip. Again, this is simply indefensible. 

“We cannot have a situation where it is one rule for politicians and another rule for everyone else. 

“Honesty and integrity are very important to me. This is the absolute minimum we should expect from our elected representatives.

“Boris Johnson has done some really important things during his time in office including: breaking the Brexit deadlock; delivering the world-leading Covid vaccine rollout that allowed us to be the first major economy out of lockdown; and being the first country in the world to provide critical military support to Ukraine in the face of Putin's despicable invasion.

“However, it is very clear that the country now needs fresh leadership. 

“Whatever the next few days and weeks bring, I will continue to stand up for the High Peak.”

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