Boris Johnson will resign as Tory party leader but remain prime minister until October, Number 10 sources have said. He is expected to address the nation at 1pm and explain his plans for the next few months.
Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi, who was appointment to the post just two days ago by Boris Johnson, has told the prime minister he must do “the right thing and go now”. Mr Zahawi, who was given the keys to No 11 on Tuesday evening, said in a tweet accompanying a letter written on Treasury headed notepaper: “Prime minister: this is not sustainable and it will only get worse: for you, for the Conservative Party and most importantly of all the country. You must do the right thing and go now.”
Education secretary Michelle Donelan, who was only appointed to the role two days ago has also resigned.
The chancellor became the latest member of Mr Johnson’s top team to call for him to go and comes after a wave of resignations on Thursday morning. Despite more than 50 ministers stepping down and repeated calls for him to quit, including some ultra-loyalists, Mr Johnson continues to cling on to power a day.
Speculation had been high on Wednesday the prime minister would resign after he took a drubbing at PMQs and later during a Commons Liaison Committee hearing, after which members of his Cabinet met with him and told him he had lost the confidence of the Tory party and should not continue in office – but the PM refused to listen.
The only people that did go were levelling up secretary Michael Gove, who the PM sacked, after telling Mr Johnson he should go on Wednesday morning, while third Cabinet minister – Welsh Secretary Simon Hart – resigned.
After a record number of resignations on Wednesday – 46 ministers and aides – the departures began again before 7am on Thursday, with Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis standing down and telling Mr Johnson that government requires “honesty, integrity and mutual respect”.
Education secretary Michelle Donelan, who was only appointed to the role two days ago has also resigned.
The chancellor became the latest member of Mr Johnson’s top team to call for him to go and comes after a wave of resignations on Thursday morning. Despite more than 50 ministers stepping down and repeated calls for him to quit, including some ultra-loyalists, Mr Johnson continues to cling on to power a day.
Speculation had been high on Wednesday the prime minister would resign after he took a drubbing at PMQs and later during a Commons Liaison Committee hearing, after which members of his Cabinet met with him and told him he had lost the confidence of the Tory party and should not continue in office – but the PM refused to listen.
The only people that did go were levelling up secretary Michael Gove, who the PM sacked, after telling Mr Johnson he should go on Wednesday morning, while third Cabinet minister – Welsh Secretary Simon Hart – resigned.
After a record number of resignations on Wednesday – 46 ministers and aides – the departures began again before 7am on Thursday, with Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis standing down and telling Mr Johnson that government requires “honesty, integrity and mutual respect”.He was swiftly followed by Treasury minister Helen Whately who told Mr Johnson there “are only so many times you can apologise and move on”.
Security minister Damian Hinds became the third minister to quit on Thursday before 7.30am, saying: “It shouldn’t take the resignation of dozens of colleagues, but for our country, and trust in our democracy, we must have a change of leadership.”
Pensions minister Guy Opperman also joined the exodus, telling Mr Johnson “recent events have shown clearly that the government simply cannot function with you in charge”.
His resignation was swiftly followed by technology minister Chris Philp announcing he was stepping down. An ultra-loyalist to Mr Johnson, Mr Philp’s quit saying the “PM should step down given public and Parliamentary confidence has clearly gone, and given the importance of integrity in public life”.
Courts’ minister James Cartlidge became resignation number 53, telling Mr Johnson: “The position is clearly untenable.”
Science minister George Freeman wrote to Mr Johnson on Thursday morning to tell him he no longer has confidence in his leadership, but did not explicitly say he was quitting.
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Amidst the resignation, Tory leadership contenders began to emerge with former staunch supporter Attorney General Suella Braverman telling ITV News‘ Political Editor Robert Peston that she would throw her hat into the ring.
Despite the calls from colleagues that he should seek a “more dignified exit”, Mr Johnson is instead fighting for his political future.
A No 10 source said: “The prime minister has a mandate from 14 million people to get a job done. He’s very conscious of his commitment to them. “If the party wants to stop him they have to take that mandate away.”