37 Boris Johnson government employees have already resigned, a new confidence vote on British Prime Minister possible next week | Abroad

Since Johnson survived a confidence vote exactly one month ago, according to the rules, no new ballot can be called. That won’t be possible until a year after the last time. British media previously reported that the Conservative Party’s 1922 competent committee is considering amending the rules to make that possible, but that didn’t happen today.

Instead, the committee will elect a new chairman next Monday. After that, the rules can in principle be adjusted again. That chance seems high, as Johnson’s opponents within the party will probably gain the upper hand.

Meanwhile, a group of senior ministers gathered at Johnson’s official residence tonight to tell him he must step down as prime minister. These include Nadhim Zahawi, who was appointed the day before to succeed the resigned minister Sunak, the ministers for Wales, Northern Ireland and transport minister Grant Shapps, long loyal to Johnson, as well as the newly appointed education minister Michelle Donelan.

Earlier in the day, a Johnson press officer told the BBC that the prime minister is not thinking about leaving and is confident that he still has the support of his supporters. The spokeswoman also said Johnson would challenge a new vote of no confidence should it come, and insisted last month’s vote was “clear and conclusive.” At the time, he still had the support of 59 percent of his MPs.

At least 37 ministers, deputy ministers and other government officials have resigned from their duties to the government in the past 24 hours, according to the BBC, because they have lost confidence in Johnson.

Yesterday big names Rishi Sunak (Finance) and Sajid Javid (Health) started the carousel. Both said they will no longer tolerate the culture of scandal that has haunted Johnson for months, including the Downing Street law violations during corona times. Dozens of other ministers and government officials followed, including today Will Quince, who spoke up for Johnson on Tuesday morning in the media and stated that the prime minister was not aware of previous complaints against MP Chris Pincher. He had to resign last week after he had touched two men while intoxicated. Later in the day, Johnson appeared to be aware of the matter.

Media Secretary Julia Lopez, Housing Secretary Kemi Badenoch and Deputy Ministers Lee Rowley, Alex Burghart and Neil O’Brein, as well as Department of Work and Pensions Minister Mims Davies, Rachel Maclean (Security Policy) and Mike Feer (Security Secretary) resigned. trade).

A whole host of parliamentary secretaries and trade envoys also threw in the towel.

During the weekly question time for the Prime Minister in the House of Commons, Sajid Javid said goodbye with harsh words today. The former British health secretary indirectly called on his cabinet colleagues to drop Johnson. “Enough is enough! (…) Doing nothing is a conscious choice,” he said in his stinging farewell speech.

“Those of us who are in a position to do that have a responsibility to make a difference,” because “something is fundamentally wrong,” Javid said. He has come to the conclusion, in his own words, that “the problem is at the top, and nothing will change that”, without naming Johnson. “The team is only as good as its captain, and a captain is only as good as his team.”

The newly resigned minister stressed that “institutions and integrity are the foundation of our democracy” and that the people expect honesty. He himself has long been “balanced on a fine rope between loyalty and integrity”, but “there comes a point when enough is enough. I think that point has now been reached,” says Javid.