‘Not the time to remove Prime Minister’ – Doncaster Conservative MP Nick Fletcher responds to Sue Gray update

In a 31-word statement, the Don Valley MP said he ‘understands the feelings of the people of Doncaster’ and that he ‘feels the same’.

But he added Boris Johnson should stay in his job and said there should not be a leadership election because it wasn’t the best thing for the country ‘at this time’.

The Prime Minister faced a wall of criticism, some from his own MPs, over the publication of the heavily redacted report from senior civil servant Sue Gray.

The 12-page ‘update’ from Sue Gray has been impacted by the ongoing police investigation into 12 of the 16 parties mentioned in her report – including one in the Prime Minister’s flat.

The Metropolitan Police said they have received 500 pages and 300 photographs worth of evidence from the Sue Gray report.

Ms Gray was asked to heavily redact the update provided on Monday, (January 31) due to a risk of prejudicing the criminal investigation.

Some of what the report did say was that:

Some staff wanted to raise concerns about behaviours they witnessed at work but at times felt unable to do so. There were failures of leadership and judgment by different parts of No 10 and the Cabinet Office Some of the behaviour surrounding these gatherings is ‘difficult to justify’ The excessive consumption of alcohol is ‘not appropriate in a professional workplace at any time’.

The Local Democracy has reported previously that Mr Fletcher does not intend to put a letter into the 1922 Committee. If 54 Conservative MPs send in letters of no confidence, a vote on Mr Johnson’s leadership would take place.

In a statement sent to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Mr Fletcher said: “I understand the feelings of the people of Doncaster. I feel the same.

“However, I do not believe a leadership election, at this time, is the best thing for the country.”