Minister urges Tory MPs not to act against Boris Johnson after election results

Nadhim Zahawi calls for party unity as colleagues speak out, and insists the prime minister is a man of integrity'

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A cabinet minister has urged Tory MPs not to act against Boris Johnson after the party's bruising local election results, as a critic of the prime minister said questions over his leadership had to be brought to a head".

After the Conservatives lost almost 500 seats and the control of 11 councils, the education secretary, Nadhim Zahawi, called on Saturday for party unity, arguing that Johnson remained a vote-winner.