EDIT at 1:54 p.m. on June 6, 2022: Boris Johnson assured, on Wednesday during the weekly session of questions to the Prime Minister, that he would “continue” in his post. Determined to stay at 10 Downing Street, he defended his government’s action, touting tax cuts to MPs. in the process, five secretaries of state announced that they were throwing in the towel, bringing to 27 the number of members of the British government who have resigned since Tuesday.
EDIT of July 7, 2022: The British Minister for Northern Ireland announced Thursday that he too was resigning from the Johnson government, which has lost nearly 50 members since Tuesday evening.
Tired of repeated scandals, members of the British government, including two senior ministers, slammed the door in less than two days. These serial resignations are a new blow for the already weakened Boris Johnson. Touched but not sunk, will the British Prime Minister be able to survive this umpteenth crisis, he who has always refused to consider resigning? 20 minutes takes stock of this “government which is collapsing”, according to Labor opposition leader Keir Starmer.
Who are the British ministers who have thrown in the towel?
Health Minister Sajid Javid, 52, tendered his resignation on Tuesday, explaining in a letter posted on Twitter that the head of government had “lost his confidence”. He was followed a few minutes later by Finance Minister Rishi Sunak, 42 years old. The public rightfully expects government to be conducted in a ‘competent and serious manner’ and ‘this is why I am resigning’, Rishi Sunak wrote in his letter to Boris Johnson.
In the aftermath, this Wednesday morning, other members of the government, less senior this time, also threw in the towel: the Secretary of State for Children and the Family, Will Quince, as well as an assistant to the Secretary of State for Transport. Will Quince announced his departure, judging that he had “no choice” after repeating “in good faith” in the media elements provided by the Prime Minister’s office “which turned out to be inaccurate”. Laura Trott resigned, judging that trust was “lost”.
Who replaces these resigning ministers?
Boris Johnson has indeed already appointed replacements: Nadhim Zahawi, former Minister of Education, takes over the Finance portfolio, while Steve Barclay, hitherto in charge of government coordination, inherits Health. At the same time, it should be noted that loyal ministers have reaffirmed their support for BoJo, such as Nadine Dorries, in charge of Culture. It is sometimes “easy to walk away”, but “much more difficult” to implement reforms for the country, for his part affirmed Nadhim Zahawi on SkyNews.
Why do these ministers evoke a “lost” confidence to justify their resignation?
Sajid Javid and Rishi Sunak announced their resignation after Boris Johnson had just publicly apologized, acknowledging that he had made a “mistake” in appointing Chris Pincher to his government in February, who resigned last week after being accused of touching two men. Downing Street initially denied being made aware of any older charges against this “whip” Deputy Chief, responsible for parliamentary discipline of Conservative MPs. A version discredited by a former senior official, pushing Downing Street to recognize the facts.
This Pincher affair is only “the icing on the cake” for the two ministers, however, according to Conservative MP Andrew Bridgen. Boris Johnson was, in fact, already considerably weakened by the “Partygate”, this affair of parties organized in Downing Street, despite the restrictions introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic. It earned him a fine and a vote of no confidence from his own camp, which BoJo narrowly survived last month.
There have been several sexual cases in Parliament: an MP suspected of rape was arrested and then released on bail in mid-May, another resigned in April for watching pornography in the House on his mobile phone, and a former member was sentenced in May to eighteen months in prison for the sexual assault of a 15-year-old boy.
Why is this Wednesday a new day at risk for Boris Johnson?
Boris Johnson is preparing for a tough face-to-face with British MPs. And resigning ministers Sajid Javid and Rishi Sunak will be seated among other Tory MPs for what promises to be even busier than usual weekly Prime Minister’s Questions. Determined to stay, Boris Johnson will therefore once again defend his position at noon in Parliament. He will then face the chairmen of the main committees of the House of Commons, including some of his most virulent opponents among the Tories.
But, by the way, can BoJo really remain Prime Minister?
He has always ruled out resigning. Even after the heavy defeats in the partial legislative elections in June. Even after the shock resignation of the chairman of his conservative party Oliver Dowden, who in a scathing letter dropped a “we cannot continue as if nothing had happened (…) Someone must take responsibility”. Even after the sprawling “Partygate” scandal, BoJo is still there, clinging to Downing Street.
But while these resignations take place in a social climate tense by inflation (at its highest for forty years and at the origin of strikes in several sectors of activity), will the Prime Minister be able to survive this umpteenth crisis? ? Even within its ranks, the question seems quickly answered: “It is time for Boris to go. He can let this drag on for a few hours if he wants. But I and much of the party are now determined that he is gone before the summer break: the sooner the better,” said Tory MP Andrew Bridgen.
The British are entitled to expect “integrity from their government”, said Sajid Javid on resigning: “I regret to say, however, that it is clear to me that this will not be the cases under your leadership. As for David Frost, ex-Secretary of State in charge of Brexit who resigned in December, he judged that these series of resignations were justified, and called on Boris Johnson to resign before aggravating the situation: “If he hangs on, he risks dragging the party and the government down with him. »
According to a poll by the YouGov institute published on Tuesday, 69% of British voters believe that Boris Johnson should resign. More than half (54%) of Conservative voters in 2019 believe the Prime Minister should leave office.
