Kwarteng slams ‘depressing state of affairs’
Business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng has labelled the last 72 hours “a depressing state of affairs” and called on the PM to step down immediately. “ So much needless damage caused. We now need a new Leader as soon as practicable. Someone who can rebuild trust, heal the country, and set out a new, sensible and consistent economic approach to help families. “I’m on Teesside today launching a £400m investment – a new offshore wind factory that will employ hundreds of local people. “Westminster is a mess, but this investment – and those jobs – will outlast any PM. The wheels of Government must continue in the meantime.” 1657185265
Departed Tory vice chair agrees that PM
Ex-Tory vice chairman Bim Afolami, who resigned yesterday, has given his backing to the installation of a temporary Prime Minister. He retweeted a post by Tory MP George Freeman calling on the PM to “hand in the seals of office, apologise to Her Majesty & advise her to call for a Caretaker Prime Minister”. 1657184979
Lammy: ‘Good riddance to amoral, incompetent PM’
Shadow foreign secretary David Lammy has bid “good riddance to the most dishonest, incompetent and amoral Prime Minister in modern British history”. He tweeted: “ He should never have been allowed to dishonour Number 10. Now it’s time to boot his Party of acolytes and sycophants out of power and give Britain a fresh start.” 1657184667
PM ‘must resign his office’, says Tory MP
Conservative MP for Bognor Regis and Littlehampton Nick Gibb tweeted: “As well as resigning as party leader the PM must resign his office. “After losing so many ministers, he has lost the trust and authority required to continue. “We need an acting PM who is not a candidate for leader to stabilise the government while a new leader is elected.” 1657184580
FCO parliamentary aide resigns
Rob Butler has resigned as a parliamentary private secretary to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office after concluding he “can no longer reconcile loyalty” to Boris Johnson. “I agree entirely with you that we need to focus relentlessly on the most important challenges facing us – the cost of living, post-Covid recovery for the NHS and the war in Ukraine,” the MP for Aylesbury wrote in a letter to the Prime Minister, before it was announced Boris Johnson had agreed to step down. “It has become clear, however, that this is no longer possible with the distraction caused by questions over your personal leadership. In particular, details of the circumstances that have emerged in recent days about the appointment, behaviour and departure of the previous deputy chief whip are profoundly disturbing, and sadly show me that the necessary lessons have not, after all, been learnt in Downing Street. “Loyalty is rightly highly regarded in politics; we succeed as a team. But I can no longer reconcile loyalty to you as Prime Minister with the integrity I have always endeavoured to demonstrate, whether at work, in voluntary roles or in my personal life. “That is why, with regret, I must now step down as a PPS.” 1657184306
No comment from Buckingham Palace on PM’s resignation
Buckingham Palace declined to comment on whether the Queen has had any communication with Boris Johnson on Thursday morning. The Queen is at Windsor Castle and the Court Circular recorded that she held her weekly audience by telephone with Mr Johnson on Wednesday evening. 1657184082
Davis ‘not bothered’ if PM stays in post
Tory MP and former minister David Davis has indicated that he would support Mr Johnson staying in place while a new leader is selected. He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I’m not too bothered about Boris staying in place until we’ve got a new leadership. “We trigger a whole new set of problems if we try and have a stand in…this is going to take a month or two.” 1657183939
Questions over whether departing ministers will serve under Johnson
With the Prime Minister’s exit all but confirmed, the focus is turning to whether he should remain as a caretaker until a new leader is installed. Gavin Barwell, former chief of staff in No10, questioned whether ministers who departed in the past two days will return to their posts. He tweeted: “Good the PM has recognised reality. Important that the leadership election is relatively quick (lack of a party chairman a problem in agreeing timetable). “Question whether the PM will be able to lead a caretaker government in the meantime – will enough ministers agree to serve?” 1657183516
Tories ‘have done profound damage’ in Government, says Starmer
Sir Keir continued: “They have been in power for 12 years. The damage they have done is profound. “Twelve years of economic stagnation. Twelve years of declining public services. Twelve years of empty promises. “Enough is enough. We don’t need to change the Tory at the top – we need a proper change of government. “We need a fresh start for Britain.” 1657183406
Starmer: This is good news for the country
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said: “It is good news for the country that Boris Johnson has resigned as Prime Minister. “But it should have happened long ago. “He was always unfit for office. He has been responsible for lies, scandal and fraud on an industrial scale. “And all those who have been complicit should be utterly ashamed. “The Tory party have inflicted chaos upon the country during the worst cost-of-living crisis in decades. And they cannot now pretend they are the ones to sort it out.”
