Britain’s scandal-hit Prime Minister Boris Johnson launched an offensive late Wednesday against a cabinet and Conservative Party rebellion, fired a top aide and vowed to “fight” despite dozens of government members resigning.
The dismissal from cabinet of Michael Gove, Johnson’s right-hand community secretary in Britain’s 2016 Brexit referendum campaign, dramatically showed that the Conservative leader was not going to bow down without a fight.
We are going to see him fight,” James Dudridge, Johnson’s parliamentary private secretary, told Sky News, confirming Gov’s firing.
“The prime minister is in an upbeat mood and will continue to fight,” Dudridge said. He said Johnson would unveil a new strategy next week against the ongoing crisis in Britain.
But within hours Johnson was hit by a new cabinet resignation – the latest after more than 40 departures from the government since late Tuesday – after Welsh Secretary Simon Hart left.
Gove was reportedly the first cabinet member to confront Johnson on Wednesday with a message that he should leave for the good of the Tory party and the country.
A delegation of other cabinet members await Johnson’s return to Downing Street by a parliamentary committee to be told that his time is up.
But two staunchly pro-Tory outlets, the Daily Mail and The Sun, as well as other media, said Johnson had refused to accept his calls for him to leave, despite threats of more resignations.
The Mail’s political editor Jason Groves wrote, “Boris Johnson has told cabinet ministers he will not step down, arguing that it will lead to ‘chaos’ and the Conservatives face an ‘almost certain’ defeat at the next election.” “
‘Goodbye, Boris’
The dramatic day at Westminster followed Rishi Sunak’s resignation as finance minister and Sajid Javid as health secretary late Tuesday after claims Johnson had turned a blind eye to an alleged sexual assault by a parliamentary aide.
Both said they could no longer tolerate the scandalous culture that has plagued Johnson for months, including the lockdown-breaking parties in Downing Street.
Within a little more than 24 hours, 43 ministers and their Tory MP colleagues had resigned, mostly from more junior positions outside the cabinet, while Gove was sacked.
In parliament, Johnson insisted the country needed “stable government, loving each other as conservatives, moving forward with our priorities”.
But addressing the MPs, Javid urged other ministers to resign.
“The problem starts at the top, and I believe that is not going to change,” he told the House of Commons.
“And that means it’s up to those of us who are in that position — who have the responsibility — to make that change.”
At the end of his speech, slogans of “Goodbye, Boris” echoed across the room.
Sunak and Javid resigned as Johnson apologized for appointing senior Conservative MP Chris Pincher as deputy chief whip, only for him to quit last week after allegations he beat two men.
Former education secretary Jhavi was immediately financed and accepted the difficult task ahead.
“You don’t go into this job to lead an easy life,” Jahvi told Sky News.
– ‘Local difficulties’ –
Days of changing the explanation came after Pincher’s resignation.
Downing Street was the first to deny that Johnson was aware of prior allegations against him while campaigning for Pincher in February.
But as of Tuesday, a former top civil servant said the defense had collapsed after Johnson as foreign minister was told of another incident involving his aide in 2019.
Children and Families Minister Will Quins resigned early Wednesday, saying he had been misinformed before defending the government in a round of media interviews on Monday.
Tory critics said Pincher’s case sidelined many who were not equipped to defend Johnson to see him as more of a liar.
Johnson survived a no-confidence vote among Conservative lawmakers only a month ago, which would usually mean he cannot be challenged again for another year.
But the influential “1922 committee” of non-ministerial Tory lawmakers is reportedly seeking to change the rules, with its executive committee announcing Wednesday that it will elect a new lineup of members next week.
Johnson’s refusal to resign means he could face a second confidence vote.
The Snap Savanta Commerce poll indicated Wednesday that three in five Conservative voters say Johnson cannot win public trust, while 72 percent of all voters think he should resign.
Jacob Rees-Mogg, a cabinet loyalist and Johnson’s “minister of Brexit opportunities”, previously dismissed the escalating resignations as “small local difficulties”.
But in particular, the passing of the craze amid policy differences over the crisis of the cost of living was disappointing news for Johnson.
The prime minister, who received a police fine for the so-called “partygate” case, faces a parliamentary inquiry into whether he lied to lawmakers about the revelations.
Reading: Isolated British PM Johnson vows to ‘keep going’ amid flurry of resignations
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