Things are really heating up now…
Boris Johnson had a meeting with the liaison committee this afternoon, where he was quizzed about a number of things, and while I didn’t get to watch any of the meeting, my mum caught bits of it on the radio and said “they tore him to shreds”…
The number of resignations is now up to 38. Javid and Sunak remain the only two cabinet ministers to have resigned, with the remaining resignations being made up by more junior ministers, trade envoys and other roles within government. This is the biggest walkout of government workers within 24 hours in British history, breaking the previous record of 11, which had stood since September 1932.
A group of cabinet ministers, said to be including Transport Secretary Grant Shapps and newly appointed Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi, are now inside No 10 urging Boris Johnson to resign. Sir Graham Brady, head of the 1922 Committee, has also gone to visit Boris Johnson to give him “wise counsel” (basically, telling him that he’s lost the party’s support and urging him to go).
Other cabinet ministers, such as Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng and Communities Secretary Michael Gove, are said to be urging him to go.
Boris Johnson repeatedly said no when asked whether he would resign by the liaison committee.
There have reportedly been so many resignations that meetings on legislation scheduled for tomorrow and the coming days are having to be cancelled due to the government “being unable to find ministers”.
I think the next few days could be very turbulent…