Boris Johnson: Eight ministers quit in one morning

All before 8.30AM

Boris Johnson's inability to accept that he has lost the confidence of Conservative MPs has triggered another wave of ministerial resignations, with seven MPs quitting government before 8.30am this morning.

It brings the total number of ministerial resignations to 54. Early on Thursday morning, Brandon Lewis, quit his as Northern Ireland Secretary, telling the Prime Minister his Government is "now past the point of no return". And before the dust could settle on his resignation, education secretary Michelle Donelan quit less than 36 hours into the job, heaping further pressure on PM Boris Johnson. Meanwhile, newly appointed chancellor Nadhim Zahawi urged Johnson to "do the right thing and go now" in a public letter posted on Twitter.

Zahawi was promoted from education secretary to chancellor only on Tuesday night, following Rishi Sunak's shock resignation.

https://twitter.com/nadhimzahawi/status/1544950219657330688 READ MORE: 

• Newsnight replaces end credits with list of ministerial resignations set to Bittersweet Symphony
• Rishi Sunak has resigned as Chancellor of the Exchequer
• Boris Johnson told 'in person' of Chris Pincher allegations in 2019, senior civil servant claims
• Chris Pincher: There is no current investigation into alleged groper, PM's spokesperson says
• Sir Keir Starmer categorically rules out rejoining the European Union