A DORSET MP has voiced his 'shock' following Boris Johnson's resignation as he criticised those who were 'plotting' against him.

Boris Johnson stepped down from his role as Prime Minister yesterday following a series of resignations at the heart of Government following protracted controversy surrounding Boris Johnson and Chris Pincher.

He will remain as Prime Minister until a successor is in place, expected to be by the time of the Conservative Party conference in October.

Richard Drax, MP for South Dorset, said he backed the Prime Minister to the end to stay at No.10 and has hit back at other members of parliament who he felt turned their back on him.

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Mr Drax said: "He won an 80-seat majority and now, two years later, all those who rejoiced in the sunshine of that success have pulled out the knives and thrust them into his back.

"I accept that he is not perfect, none of us are, but the manner of how things have happened is shocking.

"As an ex-soldier, I believe passionately in loyalty, but I have seen none of that. This has been going on for months as people have been working behind the scenes, plotting against him, to bring him down.

He added: "He has been vilified. I have never known anything like it.

"They have flung so much mud at him, that some of it was bound to stick."

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He said that he felt MPs who turned on the PM and potentially risked the stability of the Tory party may look back and 'rue the day'.

The South Dorset MP said he had someone in mind who he would be backing to take over as Prime Minister but said he did not want disclose who it was yet.

On his relationship with Mr Johnson, he said: "I have got to know the Prime Minister very well. I know a lot of people are not pleased with the way he has done things, but from my perspective, he is a good, kind man with a wonderful sense of humour."

He will remain as Prime Minister until a successor is in place, expected to be by the time of the Conservative Party conference in October.

In his statement to the public yesterday. Boris Johnson confirmed his replacement will get his full backing and expressed his disappointment in leaving the "best job in the world".