After resignations, Boris Johnson says his government will continue

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Wednesday his government would not collapse after the resignation of two of his most senior ministers and a number of more junior officials in protest of his leadership.

“The job of a prime minister in difficult circumstances when you’re given a colossal mandate is to keep going,” Johnson told parliament. “And that’s what I’m going to do.”

Johnson told lawmakers the economy is facing hard times and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine represents the worst war in Europe in 80 years.

“This is exactly the moment when you expect a government to get on with its job, not go away and get on with its job,” Johnson said in the British parliament.

Boris Johnson deepens in crisis after resignation of 17 members of the government

Britain’s Boris Johnson tries to cling to power on Wednesday as support melts away from the increasingly isolated prime minister, badly hurt by the resignation of a number of high-ranking colleagues who said he was not. fit to rule.

There are now at least 17 members of the UK government who have asked to leave.

Johnson’s finance and health secretaries resigned on Tuesday night after the latest scandal hit the government, prompting the departure of government officials and a withdrawal of support from loyal lawmakers.

With the tide of layoffs rising, some questioned whether the prime minister could fill the vacancies.

List of resignations in the Boris Johnson administration:

Wednesday (6):

• Jo Churchill, Junior Minister in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
• Victoria Atkins, Junior Minister of the Interior
• John Glen, Minister of Financial Services
• Felicity Buchan, Secretary in the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
• Will Quince, Minister for Children and Families
• Laura Trott, Secretary of the Department of Transport
• Robin Walker, Minister of State for School Standards

Tuesday (5):

• Rishi Sunak, Minister of Finance
• Sajid Javid, Minister of Health
• Bim Afolami, Vice President of the Conservative Party
• Saqib Bhatti, secretary in the Department of Health and Social Care
• Jonathan Gullis, Secretary at the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
• Nicola Richards, secretary at the Department of Transportation
• Alex Chalk, Attorney General of England and Wales
• Virginia Crosbie, Secretary to the Welsh Cabinet
• Andrew Murrison, Trade Envoy in Morocco
• Theo Clarke, trade envoy in Kenya

Loss of confidence

The latest scandal saw Johnson apologizing for naming a lawmaker to a role involved in the welfare and discipline of the party, even after being told the politician had been the subject of complaints about sexual misconduct.

The Downing Street narrative changed several times about what the prime minister knew about the politician’s past behavior, who was forced to resign, and when he learned of it. His spokesman blamed a lapse in Johnson’s memory.

This prompted Rishi Sunak to step down as Chancellor of the Exchequer – Minister of Finance – and Sajid Javid to resign as Minister of Health, while others left their ministerial or envoy positions.

“It is clear to me that this situation will not change under your leadership – and therefore you have lost my trust as well,” Javid said in his resignation letter.

Several of the ministers cited Johnson’s lack of judgment, standards and inability to tell the truth.

A YouGov flash poll found that 69% of Britons thought Johnson should step down as prime minister, but for now, the rest of his top ministerial team offered their support.

“I fully support the prime minister,” said Scottish secretary Alister Jack. “I am sorry to see good colleagues resign, but we have a lot of work to do.”

A month ago, Johnson survived a confidence vote by Conservative lawmakers, and party rules mean he cannot face another such challenge for a year.

However, some lawmakers are trying to change those rules, while he is also under investigation by a parliamentary committee over whether he lied to parliament about Covid-19 lockdown violations.

If Johnson leaves, the process to replace him could take a few months.

Just two-and-a-half years ago, the effervescent Johnson won a massive parliamentary majority on a promise to resolve Britain’s exit from the European Union after years of bitter disputes.

But since then, its initial handling of the pandemic has been widely criticized and the government has stumbled from one situation to another.

Johnson’s combative approach to the European Union has also weighed on the pound, exacerbating inflation that is expected to exceed 11%.

“After all the scorn, scandals and failure, it’s clear this government is collapsing,” said Labor leader Keir Starmer.