I completely understand why my constituents who rigorously upheld the Covid-19 rules during the lockdown and particularly those who lost close family and friends are angry and disappointed that the Prime Minister, the Chancellor, and people working within No.10 have been fined for breaking the rules. 
 
As you will be aware, MPs have asked the Privileges Committee to investigate this whole matter once the police and Sue Gray’s investigation have been completed and all the information is available to the Committee. I completely support this investigation, transparency on what happened is extremely important. 

These are serious allegations against the Prime Minister and we must now allow due parliamentary process to proceed.

The question that MPs have to wrestle with is whether replacing the Prime Minister in the middle of a bloody war in Ukraine and the biggest cost of living squeeze in a generation will actually help to resolve these momentous issues.

As I have also pointed out on many media outlets, as treasurer of the 1922 Committee, I know from when we had to elect a replacement for Theresa May, the process of electing a new Prime Minister will take at least 8 weeks and I just do not think it is in the country’s interest to have that instability at the top of Government at the present time. I, therefore, think it is right to wait until the entire investigation is concluded before making a judgement. 
 
Personally, I share the disappointment many of my constituents feel and I will be carefully listening to them in the weeks to come.