POOLE MP Sir Robert Syms said Boris Johnson’s actions in the past two days had made it very difficult for him to continue as a caretaker Prime Minister.

Sir Robert compared Mr Johnson’s approach since Rishi Sunak and Sajid Javid quit their senior posts to “Hitler in a bunker”.

Mr Johnson is set to resign today following more than 50 MPs stepping down from Government positions.

The mechanisms in the Conservative Party to appoint a new leader are likely to click into gear after a formal announcement is made on Mr Johnson’s resignation.

It has not yet been confirmed whether he will remain in post until his replacement is appointed or if he will vacate Downing Street, with potentially deputy leader Sir Robert told the Daily Echo: “I think that if yesterday he had reflected on the resignations the previous day of Rishi Sunak and Sajid Javid and a lot of people wanting him to go and if he resigned, he could be in a position to say I will continue running the Government until a new leader is appointed.

“The past 24 hours and more resignations and staying put has damaged him.

“I think therefore his position is immeasurable weaker than it was.”

Sir Robert said if it was only for a couple of weeks, Mr Johnson remaining could be accepted, but he did not feel the Conservative parliamentary party would accept him staying until the autumn.

The backbencher said the 1922 committee, which oversees the process to appoint a new leader, could move quickly and have ballots out before the summer recess.

On the past 24 hours, Sir Robert said: “I think the Prime Minister is behaving a bit like Hitler in a bunker, moving divisions around which he does not have.”

Sir Robert said he did not agree with suggestions this week’s events had damaged the standing of the Government, the country’s unwritten constitution and its institutions.

“If he didn’t resign, he would be out on Tuesday (after a vote of no confidence),” Sir Robert said.

“It is his premiership that is crashing but in a matter of a few weeks a new leader will be in place and a normal functioning Government will be in place and press ahead for the next two years.”