THE MP for Witney and West Oxfordshire has announced he will quit his post as Parliamentary Private Secretary in an apparent protest at Theresa May's Brexit deal struck at Chequers.
ROBERT COURTS QUITS GOVERNMENT - BUT WAS HE RIGHT TO?
In a tweet this afternoon Robert Courts said: "I have taken very difficult decision to resign position as PPS to express discontent with Chequers in votes tomorrow.
"I had to think who I wanted to see in the mirror for the rest of my life. I cannot tell the people of WOxon that I support the proposals in their current form."
I have taken very difficult decision to resign position as PPS to express discontent with #Chequers in votes tomorrow. I had to think who I wanted to see in the mirror for the rest of my life. I cannot tell the people of WOxon that I support the proposals in their current form.
— Robert Courts MP (@robertcourts) July 15, 2018
Mr Courts took on the role at the Foreign Office in January.
At the time he said he was 'delighted' at this appointment and looking forward to working with fellow politicians including Boris Johnson, who quit his post last week.
Delighted to have been appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) for Ministers at @foreignoffice. Really looking forward to getting down to work with @AlistairBurtUK @hbaldwin @MarkFieldUK @AlanDuncanMP @BorisJohnson
— Robert Courts MP (@robertcourts) January 18, 2018
Reaction to the announcement has been varied with many of the Tory MP's 4,566 followers offering both support and derision.
One Oxfordshire county councillor for Hanborough & Minster Lovell Division, as well as the chairman of Woodstock Conservatives, Liam Walker, blasted Mr Courts for his decision.
Writing on Twitter he said: "It’s really disappointing to see our MP Robert Courts undermining the Prime Minister in resigning, from a relevantly [sic] insignificant position, over the Chequers deal.
"He has clearly forgotten that his constituency actually voted to remain."
In further tweet Mr Walker said: "There was a reason back in Sept 2016 I didn’t vote for him to be our candidate & today he has shown why."
Mr Walker claimed Mr Courts was 'just another MP who is sadly only interested in the Westminster agenda'.
He added: "It would be interesting to know who put him up to it. I can no longer support this hard right MP."
Mr Courts has been approached for comment.
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