The leader of Bradford’s Conservative group has said Boris Johnson could not continue as Prime Minister after his integrity was called into question.

Councillor Rebecca Poulsen, who has represented the Worth Valley ward for 11 years, said it was the right time for the Prime Minister to step down.

Cllr Poulsen told the Telegraph & Argus: “I think a summary would be, I think when your personal behaviour and integrity becomes the story over policy it’s time to go.

“As Prime Minister, Boris Johnson did many good things. He came in and sorted Brexit and with the pandemic, getting the vaccine roll out, and support for people through what was such a difficult time. But I think it’s the right decision. He can’t continue like this.

“I’m hoping now things can settle down and we’ll soon be having the election for the new party leader and Prime Minister. That person can pull people, the party and the country together.

“We’ve got things like Ukraine, we’ve still got Covid. We’ve got the levelling up agenda and we need to get on with it quite frankly.

“I think as a local councillor we try and build trust up from the grassroots in our own communities. We’re trusted locally. That just needs to feed back.

“It will be up to the MPs to put forward two people. At the moment I think it’s an open race.”

Asked whether she had any ideal candidates in mind, Coun Poulsen said: “I’m very open at the moment.

“I will get the two that are wittled down by MPs to vote on.

“I want to see what people will come forward with and if it’s something we feel we should be supporting.”