Morecambe MP David Morris could run for Prime Minister

Morecambe MP David Morris said he is 'prepared to throw his hat in the ring' for Prime Minister following the resignation of David Cameron.
Prime Minister David Cameron with Morecambe MP David MorrisPrime Minister David Cameron with Morecambe MP David Morris
Prime Minister David Cameron with Morecambe MP David Morris

Mr Morris said he “wasn’t convinced that Boris Johnson was up to the job”, adding that if he felt things weren’t right he would be “willing to take the bull by the horns.”

The 50-year-old Conservative MP, who supported the UK remaining in the European Union, said he was worried about mortgage rates rising, house prices falling, and also the European interests in the Morecambe and Lunesdale area, particularly Heysham Power Stations.

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He said however that French government owned EDF Energy had given him assurances that nothing would change.

Heysham Power Stations.Heysham Power Stations.
Heysham Power Stations.

He said the country now had to be “steady as she goes”, but warned that leaving the EU following a long period of austerity would “put us back to square one”.

The UK voted to leave the European Union today, Friday June 24.

51.9 per cent voted out against 48.1 per cent voting in. It was a similar margin in the Lancaster district, with 51.1 per cent voting leave and 48.9 per cent voting remain.

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The turnout was 72.2 per cent and over 33 million people cast their vote.

Heysham Power Stations.Heysham Power Stations.
Heysham Power Stations.

Mr Morris said: “The people have spoken, and it was conclusive, and I do respect that.

“We’ve now got to be steady as she goes.

“In Morecambe and Lunesdale we have a lot of European interests and the first thing I’ve done is spoken to EDF, which is owned by the French government.

“They’ve assured me that nothing will change whatsoever.”

He said that the Conservative Party would now be looking for a new leader given David Cameron’s resignation this morning.

He is expected to leave office in October.

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“We now have to make sure that we get the right person to run the country and I’m not too convinced by some of the current candidates,” he said.

“I’m not convinced that Boris Johnson is up to the job.

“There are some people I would like to see as leader but I’m not going to say who just yet.

“But if there are candidates that I don’t like I might throw my hat in the ring.

“Ultimately I want the right person for my country and my constituency.

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I’m in my second term, I’m a young man, and I want to see the right deal, and if I feel things are not right I’m going to take the bull by the horns.

“Whatever your political persuasion, the last thing you want to see is your Prime Minister resigning.”

He said the government now had some very hard decisions to make over the coming days, including that of trade barriers, and the movement of people, not just into the country but out of the country too.

He said: “People are frightened that mortgage rates are going to go up and they will.

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“Because of the recent interest rate cuts, this has only put us back to square one.

“Anyone on a fixed rate would be okay, but anyone not on a fixed rate should be worried.

“The positives of coming out are that we won’t have as much European legislation to deal with, but this doesn’t mean stripping workers rights.

The unions are rightly worried, and despite what people think I’m not anti-union.

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“We have to preserve our standard of living, and our workers rights.

“Coming out of Europe isn’t all doom and gloom, but it will be hard work for a minimum of two years.”

Mr Morris said that a Scottish and Northern Ireland referendum would now be triggered on whether the two countries wanted to remain a part of the United Kingdom.

“The break up of the UK has started because of this.”