A ministerial aide has been sacked from his government role after calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Downing Street said Paul Bristow had made comments which “were not consistent with the principles of collective responsibility”.
In a letter to the prime minister last week, Mr Bristow said “a permanent ceasefire” would save lives and allow aid to reach those who needed it most.
The government supports “humanitarian pauses” but not a full ceasefire.
During Prime Minister’s Questions last week, Rishi Sunak said “specific pauses” would allow more aid into Gaza but he rejected calls to back a ceasefire, stressing that Israel had a right to defend itself.
Mr Bristow, who is the Conservative MP for Peterborough, was a Parliamentary Private Secretary – the lowest rung of the ministerial ladder – to Michelle Donelan, the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology.
After being sacked by Mr Sunak, he told the BBC: “I completely understand the PM’s decision. And it is with regret I leave a job I enjoyed. “But I can now talk openly about an issue so many of my constituents care deeply about.
“I believe I can do this better from the backbenches rather than as part of the government payroll.”
A Downing Street spokesman said: “Paul Bristow has been asked to leave his post in government following comments that were not consistent with the principles of collective responsibility.”
Collective responsibility is the convention that all members of the government must publicly support government policy, even if they personally disagree with it.
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