BORIS Johnson is to be told to resign by the Conservative leader of Woking Borough Council, following a vote at a full meeting of the authority last week.

Cllr Ayesha Azad must also write to Woking’s MP Jonathan Lord, saying he should represent the borough’s views by calling for the Prime Minister to quit in Parliament.

The vote followed a motion proposed by Liberal Democrat councillor Will Forster. It was condemned as political posturing by Cllr Azad, who heads a Tory minority administration.

Thirteen councillors voted in favour – 10 Lib Dems, two Independents and the one Labour councillor who was present.

The 11 Tories who were at the meeting and one Lib Dem abstained – in a situation where voting against could be seen as support for the Prime Minister. One Conservative and two Labour councillors were absent.

Cllr Forster’s motion required the leader of the council to write to Boris Johnson and MP Jonathan Lord regarding the demand for Mr Johnson to resign.

It read: “Woking Borough Council notes that the Prime Minister has misled Parliament and lied to the residents of our borough. While the Prime Minister attended Downing Street parties, residents of Woking borough obeyed the lockdown rules, often at huge personal cost or sacrifice.

“This council notes the significant financial impact upon local businesses who have been closed due to the lockdown or tier regulations.”

Cllr Forster told the meeting that Mr Johnson’s behaviour in not following the COVID-19 rules was a moral issue that was relevant to the people of Woking at a local level.

“If there is another pandemic, will our residents follow the rules?” he said. “I feel they will not. The Prime Minister’s attitude damages the trust in politics.”

Lib Dem Cllr Ellen Nicholson said she recognised it was a difficult issue for the council’s executive and the Conservative Party, but it was not just a party political issue.

“We really can’t have one rule for the Government and one for the rest of us,” she added.

The Lib Dem dissenter was Cllr Ken Howard, who said: “I don’t want to get involved, as I don’t think it’s a subject for a local council.” He did, however, say that he agreed Boris Johnson should resign.

Cllr Azad said the motion was political opportunism.

“It’s political posturing and, quite frankly, should be dismissed as such,” she said. “Jonathan Lord is under no illusions. We all have the opportunity to write to him individually to express our opinions.”