Peterborough MP Stewart Jackson backs Andrea Leadsom in Conservative leadership contest

The Peterborough MP said Mrs Leadsom was principled and had real world experience.

The energy minister and MP for South Northamptonshire was a prominent supporter of Brexit during the EU referendum, as was Mr Jackson.

MP for North West Cambridgeshire, Shailesh Vara, has already come out in favour of Michael Gove for the leadership battle.

The current favourite to take the top job is Home Secretary Theresa May.

Mr Jackson said: “The voters are fed up with ‘business as usual’ career politicians and a sense of entitlement and I think it’s time to move on from the Cameron/Osborne era.

“Andrea is bright, passionate, principled, has been a minister, and has real life experience and is a compassionate family woman with a real warmth. And she has focused on issues like early intervention and the life chances of disadvantaged children and has also founded a charity.

“She is committed to setting out a positive vision of the UK’s role in the world after we’ve left the European Union and she’s the only pro Leave candidate with the credibility to do so, and I also think she can unite the Conservative Party.

“The more Conservative Party members see of her the more they’ll like her.”