The Prime Minister has finally announced his resignation today, an ultimately inevitable event that many knew would be coming, it was just a question of when – but what do people in Newton Aycliffe think of it all?
Boris Johnson announced his resignation earlier this morning after his attempts to stay in power were rejected due to a “herd instinct” at Westminster.
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In his resignation speech, he thanked the British public for its support and concluded that “even if things seem dark now, our future together is golden.”
Mr Johnson hopes to remain in his role until October to oversee the transfer of power, however many ministers have called for him to leave immediately.
Former prime minister Sir John Major said it would be “unwise and may be unsustainable” for Boris to remain in office.
We asked residents of the Tory constituency Newton Aycliffe about the Prime Minister and his decision, and whether they feel a general election should be held.
Glenn Fletcher, owner of Thames Butchers in Newton Aycliffe, said he thinks there should be a general election as the “things that have come out in the last two-months have been horrendous.”
Mr Fletcher said the final straw, and what ended it for Johnson in his eyes, was when people heard that while “people’s families were dying” they were “having parties.”
He added: “When you look at his history, we were crying out for him to be that saviour, which just didn’t happen, it was lie after lie, or it seemed to be.
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“Of course, the remarks about the inappropriate behaviour by the other MP are just not acceptable.
“A guy that should be leading the country to really do something positive has let himself and us down I think.
“It was the lying that was the last straw, asking everyone to do something and then not do it themselves.”
Mr Fletcher continued to argue that a Prime Minister should be “leading by example more than anyone”
He worries that even after a general election, nothing will change as “they’re very similar, which is just a bad state of affairs to be in really.”
He added: “Just think of how great it would be to have a fantastic PM, everyone would just get behind them so much.
“Just please let it be someone who has morals and ethics, that’s all we want someone strong.”
“I am happy that he’s resigned, at first I was behind him and I was hoping he was going to make a change and stand up, but he’s let us down and it’s totally unacceptable.”
Mr Fletcher argued that despite his resignation, Mr Johnson will probably have done very well for himself.
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He added: “The retirement package for all these people in these positions are fantastic, when we look at our previous PMs and what they do now and all the financial benefits they get from it.
“I have no proof, but I’m sure he’s scratched enough backs to see him just fine.”
Steven Holmes from Aycliffe Framers and Engravers, agreed that there should be a general election, although it’s not “the right time” for it, he believes there should be one.
Asked who he would vote for if there was one he said he wasn’t sure, adding that “they are all as bad as one another really.”
He added: “It all depends who stands, I can’t stand Kier Starmer, and the Liberal Democrat guy, I can’t remember his name, he’s so far left he’d have us over-run with refugees from outer Mongolia.
Steven Holmes said that he wasn’t happy to see the Prime Minister go however, as he “liked the guy” even though he was a “bit of a buffoon at times.”
Asked who he feels should replace Boris, Mr Holmes added that he likes Michael Gove and Rishi Sunak.
He added: “I like Gove and I like Rishi Sunak, I even like Jacob Rees-Mog, I think he could be quite good, there’s three that I would vote for.
“I would vote for Boris if he hadn’t botched it up so much, he’s just made it untenable for himself.
“It’s just one of those things, I think he needs to go quick so the party can get sorted out.
“I’ve always voted conservative so if I had to vote one it would be conservative, so I think they need time to get the structure right and get in position so the quicker he goes, the better.”
However, according to Andrew Cummings from Newton Aycliffe, there shouldn’t be a general election, because “who do you vote for, there’s no one to vote for.”
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He added: “I’m happy that he resigned, and what lost it for him was party gate, and all of his lies, if he didn’t lie he would have been still in the job, it’s about integrity.
“It’s been from the Partygate, it’s been coming and coming, and it’s just lie, after lie, after lie.
Mr Cummings was unsure as to who would replace him but said he had “a bet on Steve Baker.”
He added: “I don’t know him, I just follow him, but they need someone who has integrity, someone who is squeaky clean.
Asked if Boris would go quickly and quietly, Mr Cummings said that the Prime Minister would give us “a nice little carrot” before he leaves.
He said: “Every time he’s screwed up, we’ve got something out of it and there’ll be pay rises and tax cuts before he goes, little incentives to sweeten up the deal
“He’ll leave behind a legacy, and he doesn’t want to be remembered for Partygate, so he’ll give you a tax cut or something.”
John Poskett from Newton Aycliffe, also agreed that there should be a general election but once again joined others in saying “it’s hard to say who I would vote for.”
He added: “I don’t think Labour is good enough, the Liberal Democrats, I might not vote this time, I thought he’d done a decent job Boris, right up until he started lying about stuff.”
Mr Poskett was another sorry to see the Prime Minister go, however, after he feels the Prime Minister has been “pushed into a corner.”
He added: “But which MP wouldn’t do the same in his boat, if they had the chance to drink and that they would do the same.
“There’s no one I can really think to replace him, I just lost all hope when he started lying.”
Lynda Lyons owner of Jorja’s Attic in Newton Aycliffe said that she “did support” Boris, but that he had “been a fool.”
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Ms Lyons believes the Prime Minister had “done a wonderful job, who else could have done Brexit and the Coronavirus.
She added: “We really supported him, and we’re sorry to see him go, just have to wait and see if the next one can do a better job.
She concluded: “We all make mistakes, but Christ he just kept making them didn’t he, and getting found out about it.”
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