Sir Roger Gale, a long-standing critic of the prime minister, said he voted “no confidence” in Boris Johnson for an “accumulation of factors”.
Sir Roger said he had questioned the prime minister’s judgment ever since Johnson defended his then-aide Dominic Cummings for driving to Barnard Castle in County Durham during the Covid lockdown.
“I think all the events in between have just strengthened my view that we need another prime minister,” he told Sky News.
Gale also said the party was “spoilt for choice” for an alternative leader, suggesting that Dominic Raab, Liz Truss, Ben Wallace, Penny Mordaunt and Tom Tugendhat might put themselves forward.
“This is something that the prime minister has brought on himself,” he added.
“Brexit divided the party – that is absolutely true. It’s curious the party is now divided, not over policy, but over the character of the prime minister. That’s quite extraordinary.”