More key UK politicians are abandoning Boris Johnson’s government as high-profile resignations threaten to topple the Tory leader only weeks after he narrowly avoided being ousted by a confidence vote.
As of Wednesday, dozens of aides and MPs have resigned, along with three top members of his cabinet.
Thirty-five members of Johnson’s government quit, and a delegation of cabinet ministers visited Johnson at his official Downing Street residence to ask him to step down from his role.
Members of Johnson’s cabinet to have resigned so far include Health Secretary Sajid Javid, Treasury Chief Rishi Sunak, and Conservative Party vice-chair Abimbola Afolami.
Moreover, many who have called on Johnson to throw in the towel were longtime supporters, including senior Cabinet minister Michael Gove.
“It is with enormous regret that I must tell you that I can no longer, in good conscience, continue serving in this government,” Javid said.
“I am instinctively a team player, but the British people also rightly expect integrity from their government.”
In response to the resignations, Johnson told his critics that he would continue to remain prime minister and lead the country forward.
“Frankly, the job of the prime minister in difficult circumstances, when he’s been handed a colossal mandate, is to keep going. And that’s what I’m going to do,” Johnson told the House of Commons.
Johnson has faced a slew of scandals in recent months, with the latest one concerning the appointment of former deputy chief whip Chris Pincher who allegedly groped two men.
Government officials have disputed Johnson’s earlier claims that he was not aware of the allegations faced by Pincher when appointing him to the position.
“The original No. 10 line is not true, and the modification is still not accurate,” said UK Foreign Office official Simon McDonald.
“Mr. Johnson was briefed in person about the initiation and outcome of the investigation.”
