REDDITCH MP, Rachel Maclean has pledged her support for Boris Johnson in tonight’s vote of confidence.

Ms Maclean said it’s “time to focus on the issues facing the country” amid plans for a vote of confidence in the Prime Minister later this evening.

She has defended the Prime Minister and is expected to vote in support of Boris Johnson in tonight’s ballot.

She tweeted: “I will be supporting the Prime Minister in tonight’s vote. He has delivered for #Redditch including getting Brexit done, a Town Deal worth over £16m - the biggest in our history, and ambitious plans to upgrade the Alex. Time to focus on the issues facing the country.”

The Prime Minister was informed on Sunday that he would face the vote after Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of the backbench 1922 Committee, confirmed he had received the 54 letters from Conservative MPs needed to trigger the ballot.

The vote – by secret ballot – will take place at Westminster between 6 pm and 8 pm, with the count to take place immediately afterwards.

A steady stream of Tory MPs called publicly for the Prime Minister to stand down in the wake of Sue Gray’s report into breaches of the Covid regulations in No 10 and Whitehall.

A No 10 spokesperson said: “Tonight is a chance to end months of speculation and allow the Government to draw a line and move on, delivering on the people’s priorities.

“The PM welcomes the opportunity to make his case to MPs and will remind them that when they’re united and focused on the issues that matter to voters, there is no more formidable political force.”