DISSENTION within the Conservative Party has escalated as the MP who defected to Labour accused Boris Johnson of having “poisoned” the party “from top to bottom”.
Christian Wakeford crossed the floor in protest at the PM’s leadership and the row over Downing Street parties, and warned his former leader is on “borrowed time”.
The Labour MP has also said he was threatened about the loss of a school in his constituency if he did not toe the line.
Writing in the Sunday Mirror, Wakeford said: “Boris Johnson is living on borrowed time. He has poisoned the Tory Party from top to bottom.”
The Bury South MP said the investigation into No 10 by civil servant Sue Gray would show Downing Street was “hosting parties while the rest of us were obeying the rules”.
“The PM attended and then lied about it. He showed no respect for the Queen while she was in mourning for her husband,” Mr Wakeford wrote.
“His behaviour has been an insult not just to Her Majesty but to the whole nation.
“His lack of honesty and integrity has poisoned the once great party he leads.”
READ MORE: Scottish Labour members' fury as 'Tory through-and-through' defector welcomed
Wakeford added he had “too much respect for the people who voted me into Parliament to stay silent in the face of such intimidation”.
Conservative whips also came in for criticism after their nicknames for rebel MPs were published by the Times.
After it was reported Tom Tugendhat is known as “Tom Tugentwat”, the MP replied: “Just like school, but without the imagination.”
Just like school, but without the imagination. https://t.co/hq75kvRjRT
— Tom Tugendhat (@TomTugendhat) January 22, 2022
READ MORE: Gavin Williamson accused of threatening MP over school funding
It comes amid calls for another inquiry after a Tory MP said she was told that she was sacked from her ministerial post because her Muslim faith was “making colleagues uncomfortable”.
Nusrat Ghani said when she lost her job as a transport minister in 2020, a Government whip told her “Muslimness” had been raised as an issue at a Downing Street meeting to discuss the reshuffle.
The Sunday Times said that a government source close to the whips’ office had strenuously denied Ghani’s allegations.
Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi said there was no place for Islamophobia or any form of racism in the party, and that her allegations must be “investigated properly and racism routed out”.
But in a dramatic move, Chief whip Spencer said that he was the individual who spoke to Ghani – although he strongly denied using the words claimed.
“To ensure other whips are not drawn into this matter, I am identifying myself as the person Nusrat Ghani MP has made claims about this evening,” he said in a statement posted on Twitter.
“These accusations are completely false and I consider them to be defamatory. I have never used those words attributed to me.”
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