WILL Quince remained loyal to Boris Johnson as the Prime Minister fought off allegations of lockdown-busing parties inside Number 10, but the latest scandal to befall the Government left him with “no choice”.

The Colchester MP has backed the embattled PM for months, most recently in June when he signalled his support ahead of a no-confidence vote.

Johnson saw 41 per cent of his own MPs withdraw their backing during the vote, but clung on to his position with as slender majority.

READ MORE: Tory MPs back Johnson ahead of no confidence vote

The loss of crunch by-elections in Tiverton and Honiton and Wakefield later that month triggered the resignation of party chairman Oliver Dowden, while there is still lingering anger over parties in Downing Street during coronavirus lockdown.

In May, Sue Gray published a damning report into parties held across Whitehall, revealing Government staff vomited and sang karaoke until dawn while the UK population observed strict social distancing restrictions.

In April, Mr Quince said: “Many across our country made extraordinary sacrifices throughout the pandemic.

“Events at Number 10 should not have happened. The PM and Chancellor have rightly apologised unreservedly.

“I support the PM and the Chancellor as we deliver on the priorities of the British people.”

But a scandal involving deputy chief whip MP Chris Pincher proved to be a bridge too far for Mr Quince.

On Monday, he was booked in to do the morning round of broadcast interviews to promote plans to make childcare in England more affordable.

Instead, he found himself engulfed in the political firestorm set off by the resignation four days earlier of Mr Pincher amid claims he drunkenly groped two men at a Conservative private members’ club.

READ MORE: Will Quince weighs into Chris Pincher investigation

Mr Quince repeated assurances he had been given in a briefing ahead of the media round that Mr Johnson did not know about previous allegations but his statements were contradicted by the Prime Minister’s own spokesman just hours later.

The Colchester MP is set to return to the backbenches after a series of junior ministerial roles.

After he first won the Colchester seat in 2015, fighting off long-standing Lib Dem Sir Bob Russell, Mr Quince was appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for Defence in 2018.

In 2019, he was appointed Minister for Welfare Delivery during the second Theresa May term.

At the formation of the first Johnsongovernment in July 2019, he was retained in post.

In September 2021, Quince was appointed Minister for Children and Families at the Department for Education during a cabinet reshuffle.