Dr Phillip Lee, the MP for the Bracknell constituency, has left the Conservative party and defected to the Liberal Democrats.
This means that Boris Johnson has now lost his working government majority. After this resignation, the Conservatives have 310 seats in the House of Commons. The latest blow for 10 Downing Street came on the first day of Parliament’s sitting after the summer recess.
While explaining his decision to defect from his old party, Dr Lee admitted that “it is no longer possible to serve my constituents’ and country’s best interests as a Conservative Member of Parliament”.
In his resignation letter to the Prime Minister, Dr Phillip Lee MP also claimed that his party is suffering from “the twin disease of populism and English nationalism”.
He added: “The Brexit process has helped to transform this once great Party in to something more akin to a narrow faction”.
Later in the day, the Liberal Democrats’ official twitter account welcomed Dr Phillip Lee by stating “Welcome on board @DrPhillipLeeMP”.
A number of Liberal Democrat MPs expressed delight at Dr Phillip Lee MP joining their party. To express his thoughts, Tom Brake MP tweeted: “Welcome to @DrPhillipLeeMP, who stands alongside 30,000 new members and @ChukaUmunna and @sarahwollaston in joining the @LibDems to demand better for the country and prevent a disastrous #NoDealBrexit”.
Now, the Liberal Democrats have 15 Member of Parliaments in the House of Commons.
Also read: People march agains Brexit
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Muhammed Raza Hussain is an award-winning writer: the Extra-Mile winner of the News Quest Young Reporter Scheme 2014 and received a ‘Talent for Writing’ certificate by Young Writers. Twitter @MuhammedRaza786 | Instagram: @M.Raza.H_
