HAS CLEETHORPES MP MARTIN VICKERS PAID PRICE FOR LATE DECISION TO JOIN 'THE HERD'?

                                                                     

Martin Vickers - overlooked for Government post

IT looks like Cleethorpes MP Martin Vickers has missed out on promotion  to the Government after describing  Boris Johnson's leadership as "chaotic".

Although formerly a Johnson loyalist, Mr Vickers appeared to have climbed on to the fence as stormclouds gathered over the Prime Minister.

Then, when it became inevitable that his boss would have to resign, he climbed down from the fence -on the other side of it.

Mr Johnson had been considering the Cleethorpes MP for a post in his re-shuffled administration, but not after his former ally 'turned'.

He duly punished him for joining the 'herd' of opponents by overlooking him for promotion.

By contrast, Lia Nici, who has far less political experience, was elevated to Under-Secretary at the Department of Levelling-up as a reward for her unswerving loyalty.

It remains to be seen how the two local MPs might vote when the full list of candidates to replace Mr Johnson as Prime Minister is known.

The Grimsby News says: Martin Vickers' political judgement rarely fails him, but it may have done just that last Wednesday. Only when the writing was already on the wall for the Prime Minister did the Cleethorpes MP add his signature to it. He probably thought Mr Johnson would leave Downing Street forthwith and hand the reins over to his deputy, Dominic Raab. But not only has the PM stayed put but he has filled his reshuffled administration with those who have always done his bidding through through thick and thin. If Mr Vickers had stayed silent, he would almost certainly have landed a Government job. Alas for him, he spoke out, and any hope of an offer of promotion fromMr Johnson now seems to have gone.