Boris Johnson quit as Tory leader after admitting he failed to persuade Cabinet colleagues that he could fight on, prompting questions about who could replace him.
While Boris had previously enjoyed support through his Red Wall, there appeared to be a wall of silence from Conservative MPs in the East Midlands in the immediate aftermath of his announcement as they came to terms with his exit strategy. Many had signalled that they could no longer back him just before his resignation.
Broxtowe's Darren Henry was the first to make his feelings known. Mr Henry had previously told Nottinghamshire Live that he still backed the PM even when staunch supporters such as Ashfield's Lee Anderson, Gedling's Tom Randall and Mansfield's Ben Bradley had withdrawn their support.
