'I don't believe in changing the team captain': Shrewsbury MP Daniel Kawczynski backs Theresa May
Shrewsbury MP Daniel Kawczynski has confirmed he will not be joining Tory rebels by calling for Theresa May's head.
Mr Kawczynski says he won't be calling for a no confidence vote on the Prime Minister.
The Brexiteer says he doesn't believe in changing the team captain before the end of the game.
The MP says he has spent the weekend speaking both to members of his local Conservative party and residents in the town, gaining their views on the deal that Theresa May has put to the cabinet.
See also:
Mr Kawczynski, who is a member of the European Research Group, said he had had a huge number of conversations and correspondence about the deal over the weekend.
"I get the feeling that senior members of Shrewsbury conservatives want me to support the Prime Minister and allow her to put this deal on the table in the House of Commons for us to consider.
Difficult
"I am concerned about the letters of no confidence, it is not appropriate at this juncture," he said.
"She is the team captain negotiating on our behalf with a very difficult organisation, the European Union. I don't believe in changing the team captain towards the end of the game.
"She has brought back not a perfect deal, but a deal she believes in, with the minimal disruption to our economy. I will be talking to Shrewsbury businesses, some who export to the EU, before deciding how I will vote. I believe we should put this deal to parliament."
The MP said he would be looking very closely at what the deal did for British agriculture.
"We are more dependent than average on agriculture in this county and there must be safeguards for British Agriculture once we pull out of the Common Agricultural Policy."
He said the Prime Minister was brave and determined and that many would have buckled already under the pressure she was coming under.
"The litmus test for Mrs May is that can we sell this deal on the streets of Shrewsbury to the local electorate," he said.
