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Boris Johnson: Fay Jones MP quits government saying she could not support PM

BBC Brecon and Radnorshire Conservative MP Fay JonesBBC
Fay Jones MP becomes the latest Welsh MP to resign, as pressure continues to mount on the Prime Minister

Fay Jones has become the latest Welsh Conservative MP to say she will resign from government, as Boris Johnson announced his resignation.

Ms Jones said she was "surprised" she had to resign but "couldn't support what was going on at the moment".

On Wednesday night Welsh Secretary Simon Hart resigned from the cabinet.

Boris Johnson said on Thursday morning he will resign as the Conservative Party leader, but will continue as Prime Minister until the autumn.

Fay Jones, member of Parliament for Brecon and Radnorshire said she will be resigning after her morning meeting live on air on BBC Radio Wales saying she thought the Prime Minister would realise the gravity of the situation and would have resigned yesterday afternoon.

She said: "I think this is really damaging as a party and as a country.

"I have supported the Prime Minister ever since he was elected in 2019, and he is a fantastically capable man.

"He was the only one to break the lockdown on Brexit, and his spearheading of the vaccine rollout was fantastic, but it is clear the change he promised in January has not happened.

"I hoped the Prime Minister would see sense but he clearly hasn't and this is no longer a team I can be a part of."

Ms Jones added it had been a difficult decision but one that was made much easier by the conduct of Number 10 in the last 24 hours, and said the way Ministers were hung out to dry on Friday morning after the revelations about the former deputy Chief Whip were the final straw for her.

David TC Davies
David TC Davies has said he was not prepared to resign but said the Prime Minister needs to go having lost support of senior members of the cabinet

Meanwhile, another Welsh Conservative MP, David TC Davies called on Boris Johnson to resign, saying the situation was no longer acceptable.

Wales Office Minister David TC Davies said on Thursday that the Prime Minister needs to go now.

Speaking on Radio Cymru's Dros Frecwast programme Mr Davies said Boris Johnson "had lost the support of senior members of the cabinet".

"It isn't possible to function, it's clear the time has come to have someone else."

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Mr Davies added he was not prepared to resign himself, because he also has a role as a government whip who he said are working "to provide stability to the situation."

He said he was not prepared to take the Welsh Secretary of State job, following Simon Hart's resignation, if it was offered to him.

He added that he expected to be sacked because of his comments.