Newark MP Robert Jenrick on his dismissal from Boris Johnson's Cabinet

Newark and Bingham MP Robert Jenrick has spoken publicly, through the Advertiser, for the first time since his sacking and says serving on the Cabinet was a great privilege.

Mr Jenrick, once tipped for great things, lost his job to Michael Gove in PM Boris Johnson's Cabinet reshuffle and will return to the back benches.

Mr Jenrick exclusively told the Advertiser: "It's been a great privilege to serve in the Cabinet and to play a part in steering through the pandemic.

"Politics is a strange and unpredictable business and so you have to be prepared form all its twists and turns.

"It certainly means I will have more time to devote to Newark and the constituency and will be battling for our area in Parliament with vim and vigour."

His predecessor Patrick Mercer told the newspaper earlier in the day that Mr Jenrick had age and time on his hands to make a comeback.