Johnson is told cabinet ministers are waiting for him at number 10 to tell him to resign
The liaison committee was told by Boris Johnson that some cabinet ministers were waiting for him on Downing Street, willing to tell him to quit. “So you say,” he said.
Boris Johnson now faces the news that Zahawi, Shapps, Hart and others will be waiting for him on Downing Street telling him to leave. “That’s what you say,” he replies. This is unbearable.
– Rowena Mason (@rowenamason) July 6, 2022
Updated at 16.57 BST
Key events:
- 4m ago
Johnson is told cabinet ministers are waiting for him at number 10 to tell him to resign
- 18 m ago
It has been reported that a group of cabinet ministers are now calling for the resignation of the prime minister
- 24 m ago
Johnson says there will be no early elections, but also hints that it could be justified if MPs blocked the prime minister with a mandate
- 45 m ago
Mike Freer resigns as Minister of Exports and Equality, saying the government “creates an atmosphere of hostility for LGBT + people”
- 1h ago
Johnson does not deny the report that says Gove asked him to resign
- 1h ago
Deputies say Conservative whips cannot find MPs to fill vacant ministerial posts
- 1h ago
Johnson rejects claims he will not be able to replace resigning ministers, saying there is “wealth of talent” in the party
- 1h ago
Rachel Maclean resigns as safeguard minister, saying “values, principles, integrity and decency matter more”
- 1h ago
Craig Williams resigns as PPS, saying rebuilding trust is now “impossible” for Johnson
- 2h ago
Duncan Baker resigns as PPS to level the department saying he has no confidence in the prime minister
- 2h ago
Boris Johnson testifies to the Commons liaison committee
- 2h ago
Why now looking for terminal for Boris Johnson
- 2h ago
Mims Davies resigns as Minister of Employment, saying Johnson has failed to maintain “the highest standards of public life”
- 2h ago
Gove told Johnson this morning he should resign, according to the report
- 2h ago
Badenoch, O’Brien, Burghart, Rowley and Lopez resign as ministers in joint resignation
- 3h ago
Former Cabinet Secretary Robert Jenrick says Johnson should resign because he does not provide “grip and direction.”
- 3h ago
David Johnston resigns as PPS in education department, saying Johnson cannot provide the country with the leadership it needs
- 3h ago
Claire Coutinho resigns as PPS to the Treasury team, saying “the events of the last few weeks” are a distraction
- 3h ago
Selaine Saxby resigns as PPS to George Eustice, saying “trust, truth and integrity” are vital in politics
- 3h ago
Declaration of resignation of PMQ and Sajid Javid: strong verdict
- 4h ago
Stuart Andrew resigns as Housing Minister, saying Conservatives should not “defend the indefensible”
- 4h ago
Javid says, “The problem starts at the top and that won’t change”
- 4h ago
Javid says that “stepping on the tightrope between loyalty and integrity” became impossible
- 4h ago
Personal statement of Sajid Javid
- 4h ago
Johnson privately criticized Carlton Club Conservative MPs for not preventing Pincher from drinking too much, MP reveals
- 5h ago
Johnson says he intends to “hold on”
- 5h ago
Johnson promises to “move on” despite calls to resign
- 5h ago
Jo Churchill resigns as environment minister, criticizing Johnson’s “joking and selfish” approach to leadership
- 5h ago
Starmer dismisses the resigning Conservatives as “in charge of the light brigade” and says the remaining ministers are “Z-list of dogs nodding.”
- 5h ago
PMQ
- 5h ago
Victoria Atkins resigns as Home Secretary, saying “integrity, decency, respect and professionalism” should matter
- 6h ago
Conservative MP Tom Hunt says after backing the prime minister in the first vote of confidence that he now wants him to resign
- 6h ago
Felicity Buchan resigns as PPS saying Johnson’s position is “unsustainable”
- 6h ago
John Glen resigns as Treasury Minister, saying he has a “total lack of confidence” in Johnson’s leadership
- 6h ago
Conservative MP Chris Skidmore says the prime minister should resign, saying the management of the Pincher scandal “amounts to covering up sexual abuse”.
- 7 o’clock
Conservative MP Lee Anderson says he can no longer support Johnson, arguing that “integrity should always come first.”
- 7 o’clock
Conservative MP Robert Halfon says he is now in favor of the change of leadership, saying there has been a “real loss of integrity”.
- 7 o’clock
Robin Walker resigns as school minister, saying he no longer has confidence in the prime minister’s leadership
- 8am ago
Will Quince resigns as minister, saying he “had no choice” after using false number 10 information in interviews
- 9am ago
Laura Trott resigns as PPS in the transport department, saying confidence in politics is “of utmost importance”
- 9am ago
What have Johnson’s political opponents said?
- 10am ago
Analysis: PM limps, but for how long?
- 10am ago
Zahawi denies threatening to resign if he is not appointed chancellor
- 10am ago
Who resigned last night and who replaced them?
- 10am ago
Boris Johnson fighting for the political future
Show only key events
Meg Hillier (Lab) says 32 ministers and PPS have now resigned. He says that if you add to the 148 MPs who voted against him in the censorship, that means he has lost the support of more than half of his party.
Sky News’ Beth Rigby has more information about the cabinet minister’s delegation planning to tell Boris Johnson to resign.
He told a delegation of three taxi ministers: Zahawi, Hart and Lewis (who is currently in Belfast) have made it clear to the head of the council that it is time to leave the prime minister. This trio says their position is now unsustainable.
– Beth Rigby (@BethRigby) July 6, 2022
It has been reported that a group of cabinet ministers are now calling for the resignation of the prime minister
A group of cabinet ministers will go to number 10 to tell Boris Johnson to resign, reports Ione Wells of the BBC.
New: A group of cabinet ministers is about to tell the prime minister to step down on number 10, including the whip on his head, according to the BBC. Simon Hart is also one of them. Yesterday he made it clear to number 10 that the game was over, but that he should not come for ministerial resignations.
– Ione Wells (@ionewells) July 6, 2022
And that’s from Henry Zeffman of the Times.
** Nadhim Zahawi ** is in the delegation of cabinet ministers about to tell the prime minister to leave, they tell me
– Henry Zeffman (@hzeffman) July 6, 2022
Updated at 16.51 BST
Chris Bryant (Lab) is asking the questions now.
Johnson refuses to deny reports that in 2019 he said all sex pests were voting for him. He says he doesn’t remember saying that.
And he says he doesn’t remember calling Chris Pincher “practical,” but “practical” isn’t a word he uses.
He says it is up to Pincher to decide whether to resign as a deputy. But Bryant says Johnson expected Neil Parish to resign as a deputy for watching porn in the House of Commons, and what Pincher did was just as unacceptable, Bryant says.
Johnson says there will be no early elections, but also hints that it could be justified if MPs blocked the prime minister with a mandate
Wragg asks about Lascelles’ principles: the rules that are supposed to determine when the queen will grant or not a request for early dissolution of parliament.
Johnson says:
You’re wondering about something that won’t happen.
Sir Bernard Jenkin (Con) asks why this will not happen.
Johnson says people don’t want elections. But he suggests an election could be justified if people tried to block a government with an electorate mandate.
Q: So do you agree that the queen should not allow early elections if another person is able to form a government?
Johnson says the government should continue to rule.
He says if principles are designed to stop wild elections, he would be in favor of them.
UPDATE: Johnson said:
You’re wondering about something that won’t happen, unless everyone is so crazy as to … you know …
We will move on, I don’t think the people of this country …
I think history teaches us that the best way to have a period of stability in government and not have early elections is to allow people with a mandate to spend time there.
Updated at 16.46 BST
William Wragg (Con) is asking the questions now. He suggests Johnson will not be able to replace all ministers who have resigned.
Johnson does not accept it. He says there are many ambitious MPs. When Wragg suggests that perhaps not everyone is qualified for a ministerial position, Johnson responds:
We may all be deceived in our ambitions.
When asked why he appointed Chris Pincher, deputy mayor, Johnson says he was told he had excellent administrative skills.
Q: Why was Pincher the first person at number 10 on the day of the remodel? Does that suggest you wanted him as a whip on your head?
Johnson denies it.
Q: Were any concerns expressed about him?
Johnson says concerns were expressed after the appointment was made.
Johnson says he made the appointment. Then there was a delay while a matter was clarified. It was clarified and the appointment was announced.
Johnson will not give details. He says he was not told at the time. The complaint, “if true,” would have been a reason not to name Pincher, he says.
He says his team interviewed both people and resolved the matter.
Sir Bernard Jenkin (Con) asks if it is true that Johnson wanted to turn Chris Pincher into a whiplash.
Johnson says that’s not how he remembers it. I wanted to make him deputy chief.
Q: What happened to all the messages expressing concern for Pincher to enter No. 10 at the time of the remodel?
Johnson does not accept it.
Q: But did you refer to the ownership and ethics team?
Johnson says all appointments are reviewed by this team.
Back at the liaison committee, the session has now moved on to questions about integrity issues.
Sir Bob Neill (Con) goes first. How important is truth to you? “Very important,” says Boris Johnson.
Neill asks about the Chris Pincher affair.
Johnson says the number 10 should have set a timeline on his knowledge of Pincher’s allegations. He says things were said by mistake that were not right.
When asked if he accepts what Simon McDonald said in his letter yesterday, Johnson says yes.
He says he was informed of the allegations against Pincher when he was foreign minister. But they could not find a record of this at number 10.
Q: But would you remember a report of sexual assault?
Johnson says he is not the one who would characterize the indictment.
Neill says Chris Pincher was a member of his leadership campaign …