Boris Johnson rocked by further resignations

Jack Peat

It comes as Rishi Sunak and Sajid Javid both sensationally quit their positions

Boris Johnson has been rocked by further resignations after Rishi Sunak and Sajid Javid both resigned their roles in the wake of the Chris Pincher scandal.

The Chancellor said “the public rightly expect government to be conducted properly, competently and seriously” in his resignation letter, adding “I believe these standards are worth fighting for and that is why I am resigning.”

Health secretary Javid also struck an incendiary tone, saying the British people “expect integrity from their government” but voters now believed Mr Johnson’s administration was neither competent nor “acting in the national interest”.

Since then, three more resignations have hit the embattled Johnson administration.

Ministerial aides Jonathan Gullis, Nicola Richards and Saqib Bhatti have all now resigned.

Mr Gullis was seen as ultra-loyal to the prime minister after coming in as an MP in 2019 from a former Red Wall seat.

The former parliamentary private secretary to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland said in his resignation letter that the Conservative Party has been “more focused on dealing with our reputational damage rather than delivering for the people of this country”.

He said he was resigning “with a heavy heart”, saying: “I have been a member of the Conservative Party my entire adult life, a party I believe represents opportunity for all.

“I feel for too long we have been more focused on dealing with our reputational damage rather than delivering for the people of this country and spreading opportunity for all, which is why I came into politics.

“It is for this reason I can no longer to serve as part of your government.”

Richards made her announcement shortly after.

She said: “At a time where my constituents are worried about the cost of living and I am doing my best to support them, I cannot bring myself to serve as a PPS under the current circumstances, where the focus is skewed by poor judgement that I don’t wish to be associated with.”