Boris Johnson’s new chancellor Nadhim Zahawi has publicly urged him to “do the right thing and go now” – less than 48 hours after accepting Rishi Sunak’s old role. Continuing a likely fatal onslaught of blows to Mr Johnson’s premiership, new education secretary Michelle Donelan became the fifth Cabinet minister to tender their resignation. She also accepted the role on Tuesday night. His was one of a slew of fresh resignations on Thursday morning, as David TC Davies, the parliamentary under-secretary for Wales, claimed publicly to have effectively turned down the department’s Cabinet role, vacated by Simon Hart last night. The collapse in Cabinet support comes after it emerged Mr Johnson promoted Tory MP Chris Pincher despite knowledge of misconduct claims against him. But an ally of Mr Johnson claimed on Wednesday night he had vowed to “fight on”, as the PM sacked housing secretary Michael Gove for calling on him to step down. Attorney general Suella Braverman did the same, also revealing ambitions to replace him as PM – but remains in post.
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Boris Johnson will resign today, BBC political editor reports
Boris Johnson will resign today, the BBC’s political editor Chris Mason has reported. Andy Gregory7 July 2022 09:11 1657181376
Deputy Tory chair resigns
Luke Hall has resigned as deputy chair of the Tory Party. Andy Gregory7 July 2022 09:09 1657181179
Zahawi not resigning despite calling on PM to go, source says
Despite his letter to Boris Johnson, a source close to Nadhim Zahawi made clear he is not resigning from his new post, adding: “The country needs a chancellor and he will serve as long as he’s asked to do so.” Our political correspondent Ashley Cowburn has the breaking story here: Andy Gregory7 July 2022 09:06 1657181015
Tory MP Steve Baker says he’s being ‘implored’ to run in any race to succeed Boris Johnson
Our political correspondent Ashley Cowburn reports: Rebel Tory MP Steve Baker has revealed he is considering running in any leadership race to replace Boris Johnson, suggesting some individuals are “imploring” him to do so. Mr Baker warned the government is now in “free fall” and said: “I think this will come to an end in the next couple of days. It’s now time to think about the future”. Pressed on his own ambitions, the Tory MP who worked in Theresa May’s government, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I have to think about it very seriously. As a working class kid from Cornwall I would never have imagined I’d seriously be on your programme, talking to you, about becoming prime minister. “But the reality is some people I deeply respect are telling me, even imploring me, to do it. I must consider it seriously. The Conservative Home poll keeps putting me in the top 10 and I respect that. “It would be wrong of me to take it lightly, but I am realistic it seems to me quite improbable the rebel commander as Guido Fawkes put it … should win.” Andy Gregory7 July 2022 09:03 1657180539
Michelle Donelan quits as education secretary
After accepting the role of education secretary on Tuesday night, Michelle Donelan has now tendered her resignation… Andy Gregory7 July 2022 08:55 1657180134
New chancellor tells Boris Johnson: ‘Do the right thing and go now’
In a remarkable turnaround, following reports that he was among a Cabinet delegation gathered to tell the PM to quit yesterday less than 48 hours after accepting a job as chancellor, Nadhim Zahawi has told Boris Johnson: “You must do the right thing and go now.” Andy Gregory7 July 2022 08:48 1657179977
UK’s government still ‘technically’ functioning, attorney general says
Here is more detail from attorney general Suella Braverman’s apparently rogue appearance on the Today show this morning: Describing the UK’s government as “technically” still functioning, she revealed that she had not yet personally told Boris Johnson to resign – despite doing so publicly in multiple media appearances. “For example, myself, I am in a role which is of constitutional and legal significance,” she said. “I am still in situ, I am still discharging those duties and those functions in my capacity as a government minister.” She added: “I haven’t actually spoken to him directly. I have informed the whips of my view. But it seems to me that yesterday there were a lot of people telling the prime minister directly this very message.” Ms Braverman defended her previous allegiance to Mr Johnson, stressing that things have changed in recent days which have now made his position untenable. “Circumstances have dramatically changed in the last 48 hours. I’ve constantly supported the prime minister in a steadfast fashion,” she said. She denied she is behaving opportunistically, saying: “The writing’s on the wall. I can’t fight the evidence and the facts we’ve had.” Andy Gregory7 July 2022 08:46 1657179633
Matt Hancock rules out running in leadership election, calls on PM to resign
Matt Hancock has called on Boris Johnson to resign and ruled out running in a leadership race himself. “We need to make sure that in that future leadership election, which is coming very soon … that we have a new prime minister who can unite north and south, who can bring the country together and deliver for people in these very tough economic times,” the former health secretary told BBC Breakfast. Asked whether he would intend to run as a candidate, he said: “No, I’m not going to run. “But I do care very deeply that we have a new prime minister who can appeal to all parts, and who is competent and serious and can take this country forward.” ‘We need a new prime minister who can unite’ says former health secretary Matt Hancock Andy Gregory7 July 2022 08:40 1657179109
Attorney general calls on Boris Johnson to resign – again
Today’s events show little sign of being any less dramatic than those witnessed yesterday. Despite remaining in post, the attorney general Suella Braverman has just appeared on the BBC’s Today programme publicly demanding that Boris Johnson resign. It comes hours after she revealed on BBC Newsnight that she would stand in the running to replace him. Andy Gregory7 July 2022 08:31 1657178616
Brandon Lewis ‘offered Chancellor of Duchy of Lancaster role’, report claims
Brandon Lewis was offered the role of the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster – vacated on Tuesday by new health secretary Steve Barclay – in a bid to tempt him to remain in government, The Times is reporting. But Mr Lewis quit as Northern Ireland secretary this morning, becoming the fourth Cabinet minister to abandon the prime minister. Andy Gregory7 July 2022 08:23
