The former Cabinet minister Andrea Leadsom has blamed Boris Johnson for “unacceptable failings of leadership” over the partygate scandal.
The former business secretary is the 28th Conservative MP to have publicly voiced their displeasure with the prime minister since he was fined by the Met for breaching lockdown rules in Downing Street, according to a Sky News tally.
Ms Leadsom sent a letter to her South Northamptonshire constituents on Monday, in which she said that after careful study of the Sue Gray report into the partygate scandal “it is painfully clear to me that given the extent and severity of rule breaking taking place over a 20-month period, it is extremely unlikely that senior leaders were unaware of what was going on”.
The senior Brexiteer said: “I, therefore, agree with Sue Gray’s conclusions that there have been significant failures of leadership, both political and official, in No 10 and the Cabinet Office.
“The conclusion I have drawn from the Sue Gray report is that there have been unacceptable failings of leadership that cannot be tolerated and are the responsibility of the prime minister.”
She added that she and all Conservative MPs “must now decide on what is the right course of action that will restore confidence in our government”.
A steady drip of Tory MPs voicing their displeasure with the prime minister after the release of the Sue Gray report last Wednesday has turned into more of a stream.
Three more came forward on Monday, including Elliot Colburn, one of the 2019 intake, who confirmed he has sent a letter of no confidence in the prime minister to the chair of the 1922 Committee of Tory backbenchers.
A total of 54 letters must be handed to Sir Graham Brady to trigger a leadership vote.
