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04th Feb 2022

Boris Johnson hit with fifth Downing Street resignation hours after four key aides quit

Danny Jones

Fifth Downing Street resignation

The dominoes are starting to fall

A fifth resignation has been confirmed in Downing Street just hours after a total of four members of staff walked out on Boris Johnson.

According to multiple outlets, No. 10’s  Policy Unit’s Elena Narozanski is the latest aide to resign from the office, following policy chief Munira Mirza, chief of staff Dan Rosenfield, the PM’s principal private secretary Martin Reynolds and press chief Jack Doyle.

While details have not yet been confirmed, her boss (Mirza) resigned after Johnson failed to apologise for an “inappropriate and partisan” attack of Sir Keir Starmer relating to Jimmy Savile. She labelled the accusation as “scurrilous” – it is thought Narozanski has followed suit.

Narozanski is said to have been a lesser-known but important part of Johnson’s team, leading on sports policy within Mirza’s remit and credited with designing the Prime Minister’s policies on grassroots football and to have even engineered the official response to 2021’s Super League plans along with Rosenfield.

Although Narozanski has followed in her way, it is Mirza’s resignation that is argued to have come as the biggest shock to those in power. As a part of a “well-liked” team within the government, Mirza herself has been by Johnson’s side since 2008, taking up various roles since he was elected Mayor of London.

Prior to this fifth resignation, Energy minister Greg Hands claimed the resignations were proof Johnson of “taking charge” following the Sue Gray report, as opposed to a result of the fallout from the ‘Partygate’ scandal.

However, five resignations in 24 hours tell a different story and is more than likely the catalyst for further exits and perhaps a letter seeking a vote of no confidence.

This is a breaking news story. More details to follow…

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