Conservative politicians in Swindon have said the country needs a smooth and rapid transition to a new Prime Minister to ensure stability, in the wake of prime minister Boris Johnson’s resignation announcement.

But the leader of the town’s Labour councillors has called for a general election.

After losing 50 MPs from government posts in little more than 36 hours, Mr Johnson, who had previously been defiant, announced that he would in fact be stepping down, although he intends to remain in No 10 until the autumn as the Conservatives try to find a new leader.

The South Swindon MP Robert Buckland served under Mr Johnson in his cabinet as Justice Secretary, but said on Wednesday that he had lost his confidence, and called on the PM to step down.

He said: “This was a PM who got Brexit done and led the response to Covid19, which was the biggest peacetime challenge in our history.  It is with a huge degree of sadness that we reached this position but he is acting in the national interest.

Justin Tomlinson, who represents North Swindon remained loyal to Mr Johnson until the end, and stayed in his post as deputy chairman of the Conservative party.  He tweeted: "I was Team Boris, as the GE showed he was our star player who connected across traditional political divides. Yes there were ups and downs, but he turbo-charged social mobility and opportunity.

"His resignation was inevitable. As a Party we must quickly unite and focus on what matters. These are serious times on many fronts."

The Conservative leader of Swindon Borough Council David Renard emphasised the need for the government to sort itself out quickly so it can deal with the issues the country faces.

He said: “The country needs stability while facing the enormous challenges of the cost  of living, war in Ukraine and increasing cases of Covid. We should all thank the PM for the great achievements during his tenure but it is now time for someone else to take us forward and we need that transition to be as quick and smooth as possible."

Other senior Conservative councillors took a nuanced view of Mr Johnson’s strengths and weaknesses.

Russell Holland, former deputy leader and cabinet member for finance at the council said: "Whatever his faults he has called it exactly right on massive support for Ukraine, he did break the Brexit deadlock, overall I think the Covid response was good and we have a good legislative programme in Parliament.

"That does not excuse other matters but he did at least take responsibility and apologise for his errors. Overall a change in Prime Minister does not change the challenges the country faces. The Conservative national insurance cut, help for people in need and the levelling up agenda are all the right way forward and I hope the focus can now be on these important issues."

Dale Heenan, cabinet member for  Organisational Excellence added: "Like him or loathe him, Boris was a Prime Minister who oversaw Swindon receive over £60m for road and town centre improvements. The restoration of the Health Hydro is due to the Conservative Levelling up plans. His many opponents will cheer him going, but Swindon has benefited and that is a positive legacy which shouldn't be forgotten."

But Jim Robbins, the leader of the Labour group for councillors said a new mandate was needed, perhaps with an eye on favourable opinion polls for his party. He said: “I’m pleased that the prime minister has finally understood what was patently obvious to everyone else in the country and realised that he had lost almost all of his support.

His time in office has been chaotic and shambolic, and his constant lies have embarrassed him, his party and the country. I’m shocked but not surprised that Swindon’s MPs also seemed unable to read the situation, with Robert Buckland only yesterday realising it was untenable and Justin Tomlinson one of the few ministers who didn’t resign.

“It is clear that the Conservatives are out of ideas and the sensible thing for us all would be to have a general election.”

Christopher Lloyd, who hopes to be Labour's candidate at South Swindon in the next general elections said: "In the last 48 hours we have seen the most unedifying period in British politics in living memory. The prime minister is right to resign but why did it take so long?

"In the last three years we have seen the office of prime minister reduced to a grotesque Trumpian spectacle, and it is all down to the actions of Boris Johnson. Honesty, integrity, truthfulness, and facts seemed not to matter.

"This is not a time to celebrate, however. There is a cost of living crisis, the biggest drop in living standards in a lifetime, war in mainland Europe and an artificial Tory-created culture war on those in society that make easy targets. 

"We now need a serious Labour government to reverse the 12 years of Tory rot. A Labour government that will help people in Swindon with their energy bills, deliver genuinely affordable housing for the town, insulate existing homes, fight climate change, protect human rights, and make us all proud to be British once again.

"If I am selected as the Labour Party’s Parliamentary Candidate for South Swindon in a little over two weeks’ time, I will never, ever let this kind of behaviour go unchallenged."

We will bring you more reaction as we get it.