Doncaster Tory MP Nick Fletcher says Boris Johnson has ‘clear majority’ to continue and ‘media hype and froth should end’

Mr Fletcher, who was elected to represent Don Valley in 2019, said the PM has a ‘clear majority’ of MPs who think he should continue.

The Don Valley MP was one of the 211 MPs who voted in favour of the PM while 148 voted for him to step down.

But Mr Johnson fared worse than both John Major and Theresa May in their leadership challenges in 1995 and 2019. The current PM also faced as much opposition as Margaret Thatcher did in the first round of her leadership contest in 1990.

The PM was fined by the Metropolitan Police for attending gatherings inside Number 10 Downing Street during lockdown and has been accused of misleading Parliament. He denies this.

After the partial Sue Gray report and the Metropolitan Police confirming they would launch an investigation, Mr Fletcher said he would wait until the full report was published before he would speak again on the matter.

But following the Sue Gray report, the police investigation and the prospect of a no confidence vote, Mr Fletcher posted on Twitter saying he was backing the PM on Monday (June 6).

He said he was ‘tired’ of the topic ‘playing into the hands of the opposition, remainers and the mainstream media’.

Mr Fletcher also added that if Johnson went, ‘we will lose Brexit and levelling-up’ as well as labelling him a ‘hero’ in Ukraine.

Following the no confidence victory, the PM is theoretically safe from another such challenge for a year – but the rules can be changed.

Mr Johnson also had support from South Yorkshire’s two other Tory MPs. Miriam Cates, MP for Penistone & Stocksbridge and Alexander Stafford, the member for Rother Valley voted for the PM to continue in his post.

“I welcome the outcome for two reasons,” Mr Fletcher told the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

“Firstly, the media hype and froth should now end as the Prime Minister has a clear majority of MPs who think like me that he’s the right man for the job.

“Secondly, I hope that draws a line under this so I can continue to focus on speaking up Doncaster.”