Local MP explains why he backed Prime Minister in confidence vote

Clwyd South’s Welsh Conservative MP Simon Baynes (pictured) has explained why he supported Prime Minister Boris Johnson in yesterday’s crucial confidence vote.

Mr Johnson won the backing of a majority of Tory MPs in last night’s ballot which commentators see as a significant revolt against his leadership.

 

The PM won 59% of the vote, meaning he is now immune from a Conservative leadership challenge for a year.

 

In all, 211 Tory MPs voted they had confidence in the PM's leadership while 148 voted against him.

 

Mr Johnson has described his confidence vote win as "decisive".

 

The result sees the prime minister remain in office, but critics said the scale of the rebellion against him showed his authority had been weakened, with some calling on him to resign.

 

Mr Baynes said in a statement this afternoon (Tuesday): "I voted for the Prime Minister in yesterday’s confidence vote. 

"He was democratically elected in the 2019 general election with a majority of 80.

"He has got the big decisions right on vaccines, supporting people through the Covid crisis, delivering on Brexit which the majority of people supported in the referendum and the 2019 general election, leading international support for Ukraine and delivering the lowest level of unemployment since 1974."