WILTSHIRE’S MPs are divided on who they are backing to become the next Prime Minister following Boris Johnson’s resignation as the Tory Party leader last week.

South West Wiltshire MP Dr Andrew Murrison was the first to declare that he is supporting former Chancellor Rishi Sunak to lead the Conservative Party and be Prime Minister of Great Britain.

Dr Murrison was the third Minister to resign from his government role, following the resignations of Mr Sunak and Health Secretary Sajid Javid last week.

He said: “I’m supporting Rishi Sunak and will do all I can to help speed his entry into No.10.

“Sending in the Royal Navy knowing full well it couldn’t solve Channel crisis whilst the fundamentals stayed the same was start of a long burn that led to my resignation on Tuesday.”

Meanwhile Chippenham MP Michelle Donelan has tweeted her support for her former boss - and now Chancellor - Nadhim Zahawi.

She was promoted to Education Secretary to succeed him, only to resign her role 36 hours later as Mr Johnson’s position became untenable.

The MP said: “I’ve worked with Nadhim Zahawi in the Department for Education, and around the cabinet table over the last 10 months.

“I’m backing him to be our next Prime Minister because he gets things done and delivers just like he did as Vaccines Minister.”

Danny Kruger, the MP for Devizes, is backing Attorney General Suella Braverman. 

He said he has three tests: "policy, character and electability". 

"Policy - what will they do as PM? Character - do they have the capability, courage and integrity required of a leader? Electability - can they connect with the public, and help us win the next election?", he said. 

"On policy, Suella is committed to the economic and social vision I believe in: not just a smaller state with lower taxes, but a bigger society with stronger families, kinder communities and a more local, more human public sector."

James Gray, the MP for North Wiltshire, said: "I have concluded that I will give my support to one person who ticks most of those boxes. Penny Mordaunt would be a thoroughly competent and decent Captain of the Ship of State.

"She is charismatic and media savvy; she is a sound Brexiteer and a levelheaded and competent person; that she is a Royal Naval Reserve Officer and Honorary RN Captain counts in her favour in my eyes.

"She was a first-class Secretary of State for Defence amongst many other ministerial roles; she is thoroughly popular with my colleagues, and in every way is just a very decent person.

"She comes from a working-class background, and amongst other things paid her way through University by working as a conjurer’s assistant!

"She is a bit more of a social liberal than am I, but she is through and through a Conservative.

"Perhaps most important of all she will see herself as ‘First among Equals’, will not try to be Presidential preferring instead to leading a highly competent and unified team.

"I will be supporting Penny this week, and doing what I can to help her campaign. I very much hope that she will win through the complex electoral system; and that she will then start her campaign in the wider world with a dinner in North Wiltshire a week on Friday."

John Glen, the MP for Salisbury, is also backing Mr Sunak.