Taking charge – or losing his grip?
According to Downing Street officials, the influx of resignations coming from Downing Street are actually the prime minister “taking charge” of the ongoing ‘Partygate’ situation – who knew?
"The PM was absolutely clear there would be changes at the top and that's what he has delivered."
Energy minister Greg Hands says the four departures from Number 10 is the prime minister "taking charge".https://t.co/t6BS6fcVhH
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— Sky News (@SkyNews) February 4, 2022
Late on February 3, Dan Rosenfield, the PM’s chief of staff, and Martin Reynolds, Johnson’s principal private secretary, handed in their resignations. Press chief Jack Doyle and policy chief Munira Mirza have also left, with the latter citing Johnson’s comments about Jimmy Saville and Sir Keir Starmer as her reason.
Elena Narozanski brings the total number of aids to jump ship to five.
Energy Minister Greg Hands says the PM "disagrees" with the "basis" of Munira Mirza's resignation, who quit over the PM's comments that Sir Keir Starmer failed to prosecute Jimmy Savile.
More here: https://t.co/vLsomnUdmO
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— Sky News (@SkyNews) February 4, 2022
Appearing on Sky News this morning for another car-crash Tory interview, energy minister Greg Hands said: “Resignations have been made, resignations have been accepted.
“In politics you don’t have to have an opinion on everything” @GregHands tells @MishalHusain when asked whether the PM was right to make the Savile slur against Starmer. That would obviously be true of the most intellectually challenging issues. This isn’t one of them
— Robert Peston (@Peston) February 4, 2022
“The prime minister was absolutely clear on Monday that there would be changes at the top of No 10 and that is what he has delivered.
“The Sue Gray report update said that there were failings at the top of the operation.
“This is the prime minister taking charge.”
Hand notes that Mirza’s resignation, where she describes Johson’s comments as “scurrilous”, was different to the others.
Hand said: “The resignation of Munira Mirza is a little bit different. She made clear her reasons for her resignation. The prime minister was equally clear that he disagreed with her.
"Boris Johnson is a stain on our politics."
Shadow climate secretary Ed Miliband says the prime minister "is not the right person who should be leading the country".
Latest: https://t.co/MHwW5a5vuo
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— Sky News (@SkyNews) February 4, 2022
“The prime minister was also clear on Wednesday that he was referring back to the public apology made by Sir Keir Stamer in 2013.
“These are all events that happened many, many years ago. The time is now to move on.”
While Hand insists Johnson is “taking charge”, the UK eagerly awaits the potential news of more ministers jumping ship.
Related links:
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- Four false claims made by Boris Johnson during Prime Minister’s Questions
- Speaker rebukes Boris Johnson for parroting far-right conspiracy theory
