Tory MP accused of giving 'poppycock' during tense BBC radio interview

A Tory MP has been accused of giving "poppycock" during a tense radio interview where he explained why he is continuing to back Boris Johnson despite the recent Chris Pincher scandal that has led to some high-profile resignations.

Last night, Rishi Sunak and Sajid Javid resigned from their ministerial positions as chancellor and health secretary in a huge blow to Johnson's government.

In their resignation letters, Javid wrote: It has been an enormous privilege to serve in this role, but I regret that I can no longer continue in good conscience."

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While Sunak also echoed a similar reason: "The public rightly expect government to be conducted properly, competently and seriously. I recognise this may be my last ministerial job, but I believe these standards are worth fighting for and that is why I am resigning."

Despite two big names resigning, some MPs continue to defend Johnson, one of them being Daniel Kawczynski, the Tory MP for Shrewsbury who appeared on BBC Radio 5 Live yesterday (July 5th) where he explained to host Colin Murray how his constituency is backing the PM (or at least three of them are...).

"Of course, there are polarised views within the Conservative parliamentary party as there are across the whole of the United Kingdom," Kawczynski said before sharing his anecdote.

"But I tell you this when I was in Currys in Shrewsbury on Saturday buying a new vacuum cleaner, I had three employees in that building come up to me and said 'You've got to stand by Boris, you've got to back Boris.'

"I've never come across people coming up to me in an electrical store asking me to support any other prime minister that I've come across so you know -"

"- So if three [people] had come up to you and said 'Don't back him, ask him to resign' would you have done that based on three employees in Currys? I mean come on Daniel, you look at the polls..." host Murray put the MP.

"Look I'm just giving you a story," Kawczynski said.

However, Murray wasn't having any of it and replied: "No you're giving me poppycock, you're giving me poppycock Daniel."

"That's not poppycock," the Shrewsbury MP said.

"How does that make a difference?" Murray asked and questioned whether he was "genuinely deflecting" the conversation about the specific reasons why Theo Clark MP resigned as the Trade Envoy to Kenya last night.

"I think you need to calm down," Kawczynski replied. "I'm giving you a genuine story in my constituency..." as he retold the story once again which caused a loud sign from Murray.

"Now that is the truth," the MP added. "Why would you be so flabbergasted and angry about me relaying an incident that happened to me in my constituency?

"Because you're talking to me about three people who sold you a vacuum cleaner over a specific question about a reason why an MP has withdrawn their support for the prime minister tonight," the radio host said.

"But if you wanna talk about what voters think, then let's have a look at the snap poll from YouGov," Murray added as the MP was on the defence once more.

"These are good hardworking people who work in my constituency - voters - decent people...

"I have no doubt-" Murray interjected before Kawczynski criticised him for "trying to portray a negative image about the prime minister."

"I'm trying to give you stats not just based on three people you talked to," as he mentioned the snap poll again where most Tory voters - and two-thirds of Britons - say Boris Johnson should resign as PM.

Meanwhile, Johnson has already filled the vacant positions last night with Nadhim Zahawias the new chancellor and Steve Barclay as the new health secretary.

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