John Baron will quit Tory party if Boris Johnson is named PM

John Baron, who says outgoing PM Liz Truss’ position has become “untenable”, has warned he will give up the party whip if MPs choose Mr Johnson to be the next PM.

"I would find it impossible to serve under Boris... coming back being Prime Minister - that ship has sailed,” Mr Baron told BBC Radio 4 yesterday.

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He added: "There's an outstanding committee on privileges investigation. "I believe - rightly or wrongly - he misled Parliament on a number of occasions. We have to look forward not back."

Mr Baron says he believes there could be "more than a few" backbenchers who would give up the party whip.

Mr Johnson resigned mired in scandal just over four months ago.

But now his replacement Ms Truss has also resigned, leaving the party in turmoil and searching for a new leader.

Mr Johnson is the current favourite to be named the next PM, with Rochford and Southend East MP James Duddridge one of 50 or so MPs to declare their support for him.

Mr Baron believes the party needs to find a candidate that will unite the Conservatives.

“In selecting her replacement, the party urgently needs to coalesce around one single candidate,” he said.

“In so doing, we must put aside the ideology and personal ambition that lay over this summer’s contest, and choose someone who can steady the ship, bring compassion to the difficult spending decisions required and unite the party.”