Boris Johnson fights for political survival as cabinet ministers quit
Boris Johnson is fighting for political survival after two of his top ministers attacked his leadership and resigned.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Health Secretary Sajid Javid quit within 10 minutes of each other, followed by a flurry of junior ministers and aides.
Critics said it was “over” for the prime minister, while Labour said the party he led was corrupted.
But Mr Johnson made it clear he planned to stay on as he moved to shore up his government with a cabinet reshuffle.
He named Nadhim Zahawi as the new chancellor, while the prime minister’s chief of staff, Steve Barclay, has become health secretary.
Mr Johnson – who is facing the most serious leadership crisis of his premiership so far – will come under further pressure later on Wednesday as he faces MPs at Prime Minister’s Questions.
He is also due to give evidence to the Liaison Committee – a group of MPs who scrutinise the government’s policy and decisions.
Neither Mr Javid or Mr Sunak have publicly spoken since standing down, but their resignation letters on Tuesday were highly critical of the PM.
Mr Javid warned the leadership was not “acting in the national interest”, while Mr Sunak said the public expected government to be conducted “properly, competently and seriously”.
Opposition party leaders urged cabinet ministers to join the pair and resign, and Labour Leader Sir Keir Starmer said he was ready for a snap general election.
Conservative MP and former chief whip, Andrew Mitchell, told BBC Newsnight it was “over” for the Mr Johnson, saying “he has neither the character nor the temperament to be our prime minister” – and the only question was how long the affair would go on.
But no Tory MPs have declared a leadership challenge against the prime minister and several ministers have rallied around the PM, including Foreign Secretary Liz Truss – one potential contender to replace him as Tory leader.
She said she was “100% behind the PM”, while cabinet ministers including Dominic Raab, Michael Gove, Therese Coffey and Ben Wallace also indicated they would be staying in the government.
Tory backbencher Daniel Kawczynski suggested the resignations would ultimately strengthen Mr Johnson’s position, adding they “could have triggered an avalanche against the prime minister but it hasn’t”. (Courtesy BBC)
