It cannot be business as usual after the partial electoral defeats, warns the Conservative MP

The Conservative Party cannot continue as “business as usual” after two by-election losses, a Scottish Conservative MP has said.

The Liberal Democrats overturned a significant Tory majority to win the seats of Tiverton and Honiton in Devon, while Labor took back Wakefield in West Yorkshire.

Andrew Bowie, MP for West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine, admitted his party had a “very tough night”.

He was one of four Scottish Tory MPs to vote against Prime Minister Boris Johnson in a confidence vote earlier this month.

His comments echo those of Oliver Dowden, the party’s co-chairman, who resigned on Friday following the by-election defeats.

It follows months of criticism of Mr Johnson after he was issued with a fixed penalty notice for his involvement in Downing Street parties during the coronavirus lockdown.

Mr Johnson, speaking in Rwanda on Friday, said he would “carry on” as leader despite the results.

Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland programme, Mr Bowie said he would vote against the Prime Minister again if presented with a choice – but stressed the country needed to focus on the “big issues”.

He said: “I made my feelings quite clear just two weeks ago in the confidence vote when I voted that I had no confidence in the current leadership of the Conservative Party.

“I think we shouldn’t look at the navy and worry about who the current leader is and focus on the big issues facing the country, like the cost of living situation and supporting the government of Ukraine. .

“But no, I don’t think we can continue as business as usual.”

Asked what MPs should do about their lack of confidence in Mr Johnson, he said: “I think that’s for others to discuss this morning.”

However, he said voters had made their views clear in the by-election and many MPs and party members would now be “discussing amongst ourselves how we move forward”.

He added: “I’ve been in this game long enough to know that predicting anything is a fool’s game.

“I wouldn’t want to hazard a guess about what’s going to happen in the next hour, let alone the next day or the next week or month.”

Asked about his position if he came forward with another vote of no confidence in the Prime Minister, Mr Bowie said: “If the question was put again, I wouldn’t change my position, no.”

Mr Johnson survived the June 6 no-confidence vote with the support of 211 Tory MPs, while 148 voted against him.