Time’s up, Boris: Chief whip sends ministers to ask PM to resign
A number of Boris Johnson’s own Cabinet ministers are set to gather to tell the prime minister to resign in what could be the final blow to his premiership.
The group is believed to include his brand new Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi, who replaced Rishi Sunak in the top role hours ago.
New education Secretary Michelle Donelan, also appointed yesterday, is also involved, as well as the chief whip and Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, the BBC claims.
Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis and Welsh Secretary Simon Hart are understood to be going to speak with him as well.
Home Secretary Priti Patel, who has been a staunch supporter of the PM, is currently inside Number 10, according to reports.
It comes after Michael Gove’s spokesperson didn’t deny reports he too had told the PM that his time needs to be up.
The British leader has faced a humiliating landslide of more than 30 resignations in less than 24 hours – sparked by the shock exits of two of his top ministers, Sajid Javid and Mr Sunak.
But he told MPs this afternoon: ‘The job of a Prime Minister in difficult circumstances when he has been handed a colossal mandate is to keep going, and that’s what I’m going to do.’
Who has resigned from the government so far?
- Sajid Javid - health secretary
- Rishi Sunak - chancellor
- Will Quince - minister for children and families
- Alex Chalk - solicitor general
- Bim Afolami - Tory vice chair
- Laura Trott - PPS to the Department of Transport
- Andrew Murrison - trade envoy to Morocco
- Jonathan Gullis - PPS to the Northern Ireland secretary
- Saqib Bhatti - PPS to the health secretary
- Nicola Richards - PPS for the Department for Transport
- Virginia Crosbie - PPS to the Welsh Office
- Theo Clarke - trade envoy to Kenya
- Robin Walker - schools minister
- John Glen - economic secretary to Treasury
- Felicity Buchan - PPS to the Department of Business
- Victoria Atkins - prisons minister
- Jo Churchill - health minister
- Stuart Andrew - housing minister
- Claire Coutinho - PPS to the Treasury
- Selaine Saxby - PPS to the Treasury
- David Johnston - PPS to Department for Education
- Kemi Badenoch - equalities and local government minister
- Julia Lopez - minister for media, data and digital infrastructure
- Lee Rowley - minister for industry
- Neil O'Brien - levelling up minister
- Alex Burghart - skills minister
- Mims Davies, employment minister
- Duncan Baker - PPS for Department of Levelling up, Housing and Communities
- Craig Williams - PPS to the Treasury
- Rachel Maclean - Home Office minister
- Mark Logan - PPS to the Northern Ireland Office
- Mike Freer - Exports and equalities minister
- Mark Fletcher - PPS to the Department for Business
- Sara Britcliffe - PPS to the Department for Education
- Ruth Edwards - PPS to the Scottish Office
- Peter Gibson - PPS to the Department for International Trade
Mr Johnson’s promotion of MP Chris Pincher, despite knowing there were sexual misconduct allegations against him, was the catalyst for the wave of resignations.
But officials have also cited his handling of Partygate and the Owen Paterson scandal as reasons behind their decisions to step down.
Speaking about the huge number of departures, opposition leader Keir Starmer said: ‘As for those who are left, only in office because no-one else is prepared to debase themselves any longer. The charge of the lightweight brigade. Have some self-respect.
‘For a week he’s had them defending his decision to promote a sexual predator … anyone with anything about them would be long gone from his frontbench.
‘In the middle of a crisis, doesn’t the country deserve better than a z-list cast of nodding dogs?’
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