A Conservative MP and Leave campaigner has written to the prime minister to thank him for giving the British people a “choice in their destiny”.
Signed by 85 Tory MPs, two-thirds of whom publicly supported the Brexit campaign, his letter insists David Cameron has a mandate to continue in the top job, regardless of the EU referendum outcome.
Robert Syms, who represents Poole in Dorset, delivered the letter to the Tory leader’s parliamentary private secretary Gavin Williamson last night.
A typed list of names he posted online includes those of Justice Secretary Michael Gove and former London mayor Boris Johnson.
The pair were among the most prominent critics of Mr Cameron and the Remain camp during the increasingly bitter campaign.
Publicising the letter online as the polls closed, Mr Syms wrote: “The letter thanked Prime Minister David Cameron for giving the British people a choice of their destiny.
“We believe whatever the British people decide, you have both a mandate and a duty to continue leading the nation, implementing our policies.”
He also made clear he had not had time to approach all of his Vote Leave colleagues to ask them to sign.
The letter could go some way to starting the healing process within the Tory party after a campaign characterised by blue-on-blue infighting.
But Mr Cameron still faces a difficult challenge given the personal nature of the attacks on both sides.
