"I formally asked the party yesterday if I could step back from my position and I will remain in post until they have found a successor."

       Mr Bowie is said to be one of a number of Conservative MPs unhappy at Boris Johnson's Government for whipping them to vote for controversial legislation only to perform a U-turn 15 hours later.

       This revolved around reforming the way that MPs are disciplined and would have temporarily blocked the suspension of the former cabinet minister.

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       It would have involved setting up new parliamentary committees and would give MPs the right to appeal any decision.

       After opposition parties including Labour and the SNP vowed to boycott them the Government backtracked.

       Mr Paterson also later resigned after serving as an MP for 24 years after being found guilty of breaking rules for being paid ￡110,000 in an "egregious" breach of lobbying rules.

       Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer later called the action's of Mr Johnson's Government "corrupt".

       Speaking to Andrew Marr on his BBC show, he said: "Instead of upholding standards, [the Prime Minister] ordered his MPs to protect his mate and rip up the whole system.

       "That's corrupt and it's contemptible and it's not a one-off."

       The scandal has led to calls for a wider examination of lobbying rules to ensure that MPs are unable to abuse their power and influence.

       Aside from that, the loss of Mr Bowie will be seen as a blow to the Conservatives.

       The rising star is seen as a party loyalist and an MP with Ministerial ambitions after his Downing Street experience as a parliamentary private Secretary to Theresa May.