Keir Starmer tells Rishi Sunak to ‘find a backbone’ and call snap election

Call comes after three Conservative MPs quit to trigger by-elections within 24 hours

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves (PA Wire)

Keir Starmer has told Rishi Sunak to “find a backbone” and call a snap general election – after three quick-fire MP resignations left the prime minister facing by-election battles on multiple fronts.

Boris Johnson, Nadine Dorries, and Nigel Adams all walked out within 24 hour of each other, leaving the Conservative facing a slate of unwelcome election tests.

Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey also echoed Labour’s call – with both opposition parties hoping to capitalise on Tory woes and capture seats at the by-elections.

Mr Adams and Ms Dorries had been tipped for peerages in Mr Johnson’s resignation honours but neither featured in the published list.

Meanwhile Mr Johnson announced his exit on Friday by launching a scathing attack on a Commons Privileges Committee investigation into his conduct during the pandemic.

It is looking into whether he misled MPs with his assurances over parties held in Downing Street during coronavirus lockdowns.

But the ex-PM claimed the committee was operating as a “kangaroo court” and accused the seven-person panel of being on a “witch hunt”.

In his lengthy statement, Mr Johnson appeared to keep the door open for a return to the Commons, saying he was leaving “for now”.

Labour leader Sir Keir said: “This farce must stop. People have had enough of a shambolic Tory government and a weak Prime Minister no one voted for.

“Rishi Sunak must finally find a backbone, call an election, and let the public have their say on 13 years of Tory failure.”

Jacob Rees-Mogg, a supporter of Mr Johnson acolyte who was knighted in his resignation honours, said the former Tory leader could “easily get back into Parliament at the next election” – which would see him return next year.

In an article for the Mail On Sunday, the former business secretary warned of a potential schism if the party machinery attempts to “block” his return.

“I would most strongly warn Conservative Party managers against any attempt to block Boris if he seeks the party nomination in another seat,” he said.

“Any attempt to do so would shatter our fragile party unity and plunge the Conservatives into civil war.”

The timing of the commons by-elections in the three vacant constituencies has not yet been announced.