Johnson fights on amid resignations

LONDON, July 06 (BBC): Boris Johnson is battling to stay in office, amid further resignations from his government in protest at his leadership.

New chancellor Nadhim Zahawi has urged unity after his predecessor, the health secretary, and several junior ministers walked out.

But the prime minister has been hit by three further resignations, taking the total to 13 in the past day.

It comes as he prepares for PMQs later and a grilling by senior MPs.

Mr Johnson's premiership has been plunged into crisis following the dramatic resignations of Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Health Secretary Sajid Javid.

They quit within minutes of each other on Tuesday following a row over Mr Johnson's decision to appoint Chris Pincher deputy chief whip earlier this year.

Further resignations have followed, with education ministers Will Quince and Robin Walker and ministerial aide Laura Trott quitting on Wednesday.

Mr Javid, who has now resigned from Mr Johnson's cabinet for the second time, will make a resignation statement to Parliament later.

Mr Johnson has admitted it was a "bad mistake" to appoint Mr Pincher, despite being aware of misconduct allegations against him.

It followed days of changing responses from No 10 over what exactly the PM knew about Mr Pincher's past conduct when he gave him the job.

Mr Quince, who was sent out to defend the PM in media interviews two days ago, said Downing Street had given him "inaccurate" information.

In a resignation letter, he added he had "no choice" to resign - adding that he had repeated No 10's assurances "in good faith".

The row over Mr Pincher's appointment comes after the PM's relations with his backbenchers have been damaged by the Partygate scandal and unhappiness over tax rises.

He survived a no-confidence vote among Tory MPs last month, meaning under current party rules he is immune from another challenge for a year.

Several key cabinet ministers, including foreign secretary and potential leadership challenger Liz Truss, have rallied round the prime minister.

However, rebel Tories want to use an upcoming vote to the backbench 1922 committee to scrap the year-long gap between contests, making it possible he could face another challenge later this summer.

Boris Johnson is braced for more resignations, perhaps not from the cabinet but the next rung down the ministerial ladder.

For a little while, after two cabinet resignations, Westminster wondered what might happen next - and so did the PM.

Not in control of events, he was ringing around the rest of his cabinet to work out if they were still with him. They were, and the moment of greatest jeopardy for him has passed - for now at least.

A smattering of more junior resignations did follow, but there's a defiance from his team; they point out their mandate from the electorate at the last election, in contrast with the anger and anguish among many Conservative MPs.

Mr Zahawi, who becomes the fourth chancellor in three years, was appointed alongside the prime minister's chief of staff, Steve Barclay, who became health secretary.

A No 10 source said the new chancellor was "more dynamic and more aligned" with Mr Johnson, and described the new health secretary as a "massive upgrade".

Mr Javid had warned the leadership was not "acting in the national interest", while Mr Sunak said the public expected government to be conducted "properly, competently and seriously".

Mr Sunak also referenced tensions over the economy in his resignation letter, telling the PM their approaches had become "fundamentally too different".

The departures triggered a wave of resignations, including Solicitor General Alex Chalk, five ministerial aides, two trade envoys, and Bim Afolami as vice-chair of the Tory party.

Ashfield MP Lee Anderson, a previously loyal supporter of Mr Johnson, also withdrew his support, saying in a Facebook post he could not "look myself in the mirror" and accept the PM's handling of Chris Pincher's appointment.

Pressure on the prime minister was also elevated last month by the loss of by-elections in Tiverton and Honiton and Wakefield and the resignation of Conservative Party chairman Oliver Dowden.