Prime minister Boris Johnson has signalled his intent to stay on, despite the resignations of two cabinet ministers and a wave of junior ministers and aides as more Conservatives lost confidence in his leadership.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak and health secretary Sajid Javid both resigned in quick succession on Tuesday evening to start the domino effect.
Will Quince has since resigned as an education minister, Alex Chalk has left his position as solicitor general, while Bim Afolami has quit his role as vice-chair of the Conservative party.
The resignations have come amid criticism of Downing Street’s handling of the Chris Pincher controversy, with some of Johnson’s allies now turning their backs on him after Number 10 repeatedly seemed to change stance over what the PM knew regarding allegations against Pincher, prior to appointing him deputy chief whip in February.
In his letter of resignation, Javid said: “We may not always have been popular, but we have been competent in acting in the national interest. Sadly, in the current circumstances, the public are concluding that we are neither.
“The vote of confidence last month showed that a large number of our colleagues agree. It was a moment for humility, grip and new direction. I regret to say, however, that it is clear to me that this situation will not change under your leadership - and you have therefore lost my confidence too.”
Sunak said in his letter to the PM that “the public rightly expect government to be conducted properly, competently and seriously."
He added: "I recognise this may be my last ministerial job, but I believe these standards are worth fighting for and that is why I am resigning.”
The now former chancellor also hinted at tensions with the PM over fiscal policy, saying that ahead of a “proposed joint speech on the economy next week, it has become clear to me that our approaches are fundamentally too different.”
Elsewhere, Laura Trott, the Conservative MP for Sevenoaks in Kent and a ministerial aide at the Department for Transport, said that the government had lost the trust of the British public before announcing her own departure.
The prime minister has responded swiftly by moving education secretary Nadhim Zahawi into the role of chancellor, while chief of staff Steve Barclay has been elevated to health secretary.
Upon being moved, Zahawi called on his fellow Conservatives to come together behind the prime minister, who remained focused on delivering for the British people.
The BBC quotes one of its sources as saying that Zahawi is a “more dynamic” figure for the role of chancellor and “more aligned” with the prime minister’s ideas. Should the proposed joint speech on the economy next week go ahead, it could be one of Zahawi’s first major engagements with the public in his new role.
Before then, however, Boris Johnson faces two key exchanges in Parliament on Wednesday, with Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons followed by a call for him to attend the Commons Liaison Committee.
Johnson has retained the backing of other ministers, including foreign secretary Liz Truss, culture secretary Nadine Dorries, justice secretary Dominic Raab, levelling-up secretary Michael Gove, work and pensions secretary Therese Coffey, and defence secretary Ben Wallace, all of whom have indicated they will remain in post.
Under Conservative party rules, the prime minister is also protected from another challenge to his leadership after he survived a confidence vote by his own MPs in the Commons last month.
Since surviving the confidence vote, the Tories have been defeated in two by-elections – which prompted Tory party chair Oliver Dowden to quit - and the PM has been put under further pressure by the Pincher controversy.
It has therefore been suggested that the upcoming elections to the 1922 Committee of backbench Conservative MPs could be used as an opportunity to vote in figures who could usher in changes to party rules, opening the door for a fresh challenge to Johnson’s leadership.
The Tory MP for North West Leicestershire, Andrew Bridgen, has said that Johnson should resign or the 1922 Committee “will deal with” him.
Meanwhile, opposition party leaders have urged the prime minister to step down, with Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer saying that the resignation of two cabinet ministers made it clear that “the government is now collapsing.”
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey called on Tory MPs to “get rid of Boris Johnson” today, while Scotland’s first minister and leader of the SNP, Nicola Sturgeon, suggested that all cabinet ministers ought to resign, accusing the government of “lying to the public”.
