Walker was Minister of State at the Department of Education. A prominent national Tory, his father, Peter Walker, was a minister in Margaret Thatcher’s cabinet (although he was considered a “wet”). In his letter, Walker says he considered Johnson an “instinctive conservative of a nation” but believed the government was now making too many mistakes. Important events: Show only key events
Tory MP Robert Halfon says he is now in favor of a change in leadership, saying there has been a “real loss of integrity”
Robert Halfon, the Conservative MP for Harlow and chairman of the Commons education committee, released a statement saying he had previously been opposed to a change of leadership but had changed his mind in light of the Chris Pincher scandal and what No 10 had to say about it. “Not only has there been a real loss of integrity, but a failure of policy,” he says. Boris Johnson will have to do a mini reshuffle very soon. He has two ministers to replace at the Department for Education (Robin Walker and Will Quince) and needs a new solicitor-general to replace Alex Chalk. (There are also various PPS and Trade Envoys to be replaced, but there will be no rush to make these appointments.) Johnson is due to give evidence to the Commons liaison committee this afternoon at 3pm. Most of the MPs in the committee are very critical of him and perhaps he wonders if he can lose it, arguing that he should focus on the reshuffle?
Robin Walker resigns as schools minister, saying he no longer has confidence in PM’s leadership
Robin Walker has resigned as schools secretary, saying he no longer has confidence in Boris Johnson’s leadership. Walker was Minister of State at the Department of Education. A prominent national Tory, his father, Peter Walker, was a minister in Margaret Thatcher’s cabinet (although he was considered a “wet”). In his letter, Walker says he considered Johnson an “instinctive conservative of a nation” but believed the government was now making too many mistakes. Yesterday Andrew Murrison, the Tory MP, resigned as the government’s trade envoy, saying he thought Boris Johnson’s position was “irretrievable”. In an interview with Sky News this morning, he said his decision to quit smoking was a “long burn”. He was normally an “arch believer,” he said. But he said he reached the point where he decided “enough is enough.” Angela Rayner, Labour’s deputy leader, will be delighted to hear him use that phrase. “Enough is enough” is what he repeatedly said at PMQs last week when he called for the prime minister’s resignation. Murrison said the mood among Tory MPs was “fever”. There was a sense that it was “the beginning of the end”, he said, and said he would be very surprised if there were no further resignations. Andrew Murrison Photo: Sky News Gavin Barwell, who was Theresa May’s chief of staff when she was Prime Minister, says Nadeem Zahawi is right to say that divided parties don’t win elections (see 8.19am) – but wrong to think that the party can unite beyond Boris Johnson. He is right, but there is zero chance of the party uniting behind Johnson. We have almost certainly reached the point where the majority of Conservative MPs – and more importantly voters – have lost their confidence. The sooner the rest of his supporters figure it out the better https://t.co/59nIJMfSXA — Gavin Barwell (@GavinBarwell) July 6, 2022 Barwell seems to be right about the Tory votes. Last night YouGov published a poll showing that, for the first time, more people who voted Conservative in 2019 want Boris Johnson to quit than to stay. In interviews this morning, the new chancellor, Nadhim Zahawi, repeatedly suggested that Alastair Campbell, Tony Blair’s former communications officer, was somehow responsible for fueling the Tory opposition to Boris Johnson. Nadhim Zahawi goes to Alastair Campbell. “The people who make us split up and turn on each other are people like Alastair Campbell and wherever you are you want to be on the opposite side of the argument” #KayBurley #BBCBreakfast pic.twitter.com/ pyF0ldp5c9 — Haggis_UK 🇬🇧 🇪🇺 (@Haggis_UK) July 6, 2022 Campbell, who now hosts the excellent Rest is Politics podcast with former Tory minister Rory Stewart, appears to be welcoming his new position as Labour’s number one hate figure in the Conservative party. Hi @nadhimzahawi – glad to hear I’m getting under your skin. I’m getting a lot of media offers asking me to respond to your rants about me this morning. FYI I’ve barely even started yet!! That you can continue to support this fake scammer who undercuts everything by 1/3 — ALASTAIR CAMPBELL (@campbellclaret) July 6, 2022 touches indicates that you are getting too close to the dark side. And by the way now that you are chancellor you should expect a lot more scrutiny of your business history. You know what I mean; Check out @MichaelLCrick for a 2/3 start — ALASTAIR CAMPBELL (@campbellclaret) July 6, 2022 PS What did you achieve in Education? Nada… see you soon I hope!! 3/3 — ALASTAIR CAMPBELL (@campbellclaret) July 6, 2022 AMAZING NEWS … I have moved from my home in North London. Now there is free rent living inside the head of the new Chancellor of the Exchequer @nadhimzahawi — ALASTAIR CAMPBELL (@campbellclaret) July 6, 2022 Updated at 09.22 BST Sajid Javid took no questions as he left his south-west London home this morning after resigning as health secretary last night. According to the Evening Standard, as he got into his car he told reporters: “Good morning, thank you for coming. I am glad to see you.” Sajid Javid leaves his home this morning after resigning as health secretary yesterday. Photo: Maja Smiejkowska/ReutersBroadcasters outside Downing Street this morning. Photo: Frank Augstein/AP The Tory papers have (mostly) turned on Boris Johnson this morning. Here’s a roundup. If he can stay in office for three more days, Boris Johnson will have served as prime minister longer than Neville Chamberlain, according to Talk TV’s Tom Newton Dunn. Boris Johnson needs to continue as Prime Minister for another 3 days to beat Neville Chamberlain’s length of service and 33 days to beat Theresa May (he would love to do both, at the very least). Will he do either? Nobody knows yet. pic.twitter.com/loPDcJXnVR — Tom Newton Dunn (@tnewtondunn) July 6, 2022 Updated at 08.57 BST
Will Quince resigns as minister, saying he had ‘no choice’ after using false information from No 10 in interviews
And Will Quince has resigned as minister for children and families. Quince defended Boris Johnson in interviews on Monday and says he resigned because he used false information in those interviews given to him by No 10. Quince said he was given a “categorical assurance” by No 10 that Johnson was not aware of any “specific” allegations against Pincher when he appointed him to the post of deputy chief whip earlier this year. This was not true. Will Quince gives ‘categorical assurance’ from No 10 over Pincher claims – video Quince says in his resignation letter that he spoke with Johnson last night and that Johnson offered a “sincere apology.” But Quince says he should resign anyway because he repeated what No 10 told him in “good faith”. He’s essentially saying that he considers saying things that are untrue to the public as a matter of resignation – even though he wasn’t at fault. There are many of his colleagues who do not apply the same standard and have given false information to viewers under a No 10 update, but they have not resigned. In his letter Quince says: Dear prime minister. Thank you for meeting with me yesterday afternoon and for your sincere apology regarding the updates I received from No 10 prior to Monday’s media round, which we now know to be inaccurate. It is with great sadness and regret that I feel I have no choice but to tender my resignation as Minister for Children and Families as I have accepted and repeated these assurances in good faith. It is with great sadness and regret that I submitted my resignation to the Prime Minister this morning, having also received repeated assurances on Monday in the media, which have now been found to be inaccurate. I wish my successor well – it’s the best job in government. pic.twitter.com/65EOmHd47p — Will Quince MP 🇬🇧 (@willquince) July 6, 2022 Updated at 09.38 BST
Laura Trott quits PPS at transport department, says trust in policy ‘paramount’
Laura Trott has just resigned as PPS (Parliamentary Private Secretary). She has posted it herself on her Facebook page. I want to inform you all that I have resigned from my position as Parliamentary Private Secretary at the Department of Transport. Trust in politics is – and always should be – of the utmost importance, but unfortunately in recent months this has been lost. Thanks to all of you who wrote to me expressing your views. I read them carefully and took them into account as part of my decision. I have and will always put the people of Sevenoaks and Swanley front and center in my work at Westminster. Updated at 08.48 BST Q: On inflation, there’s an argument that you can’t afford tax cuts when inflation is a problem because that will feed inflation. This is what Rishi Sunak thought. But there is another argument that tax cuts are needed because they will fuel growth. Is that why you were appointed? Zahawi says this is not right. He says he was appointed because he would be guided by evidence. It will rebuild the economy and promote growth. Zahawi has now slipped into talking about the vaccine program, saying a focus on data, evidence and transparency made it a success. That will do to politics in general, he says. Robinson says the data…
