Newly appointed Chancellor Zahawi denies threatening to resign if not given top job
Nadhim Zahawi has denied he threatened to quit as Boris Johnson was hit by ministerial resignations – with Will Quince becoming the latest to go.
The government has seen a crisis reshuffle after former chancellor Rishi Sunak and former health secretary Sajid Javid – along with the Tory vice chair and a slew of junior aides – resigned in protest of the prime minister’s leadership.
Mr Zahawi has moved from education secretary to chancellor, denying reports he had threatened to go if Liz Truss got the Treasury job over him.
The trickle of resignations continued on Wednesday morning, including former children’s minister Mr Quince, who said he could not accept being sent with inaccurate information over the Chris Pincher scandal.
There is mounting fury among Tory benches after No 10 admitted the PM was aware when promoting Mr Pincher – accused of sexual harassment – to a role in charge of MPs’ welfare that a misconduct complaint had been upheld against him.
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1657096405Which Tory MPs have quit government?
It seems a good time to have a quick recap of who has resigned in protest at Boris Johnson’s leadership.
Jon Stone and Samuel Lovett have put together a list:
Zoe Tidman6 July 2022 09:33
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Ed Balls dances to ‘bye, bye Boris’
Ed Balls had a boogie this morning when “bye, bye Boris” inadvertently played in the background of a media interview.
Ed Balls dances as ‘bye, bye Boris’ inadvertently airs live on GMB
Zoe Tidman6 July 2022 09:17
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What is at the heart of Will Quince’s resignation?
Will Quince was sent on media rounds earlier this week to defend the prime minister over the Chris Pincher scandal.
The former minister says he is now resigning as he he could not accept being sent with inaccurate information over the row.
He told broadcasters earlier in the week he had been given “categorical assurance” that Mr Johnson was not “aware of specific claims” against the former deputy chief whip, who has been accused of sexual harassment.
A No 10 spokesperson later said the PM had forgotten being told about allegations.
Here is an example of one of his interviews earlier this week:
Zoe Tidman6 July 2022 09:07
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Boris Johnson ‘delivering chaos’, former attorney general says
Ex-Tory MP Dominic Grieve is among those criticising the prime minister this morning.
He said the resignation of Rishi Sunak and Sajid Javid was a “massive inditement of Boris Johnson’s lack of moral scruples and his behaviour and his capacity of lying”.
The former attorney general said the PM was delivering “chaos” and belives Nadhim Zahawi will regret taking on the chancellor role.
His Sky News interview is here:
Zoe Tidman6 July 2022 08:52
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Read Will Quince’s resignation letter
Will Quince says he is resigning as children’s minister after he “accepted and repeated assurances” to the media which were “inaccurate”.
Read his resignation letter in full here:
Zoe Tidman6 July 2022 08:44
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BREAKING: Minister who defended Boris Johnson over Chris Pincher resigns
Zoe Tidman6 July 2022 08:39
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‘Good to see you,’ smiling Javid tells reporters outside house
Sajid Javid has been spotting leaving his southwest London home this morning following his shock resignation as health secretary.
The smiling former minister did not speak to reporters about leaving his post.
“Morning, thanks for coming. It is good to see you,” he said before getting into a car and leaving.
Zoe Tidman6 July 2022 08:36
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Another resignation
A Department of Transport parliamentary private secretary has joined the chorus of resignations.
Tory MP Laura Trott said: “Trust in politics is – and must always be – of the upmost importance, but sadly in recent months this has been lost.”
Zoe Tidman6 July 2022 08:28
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Nadhim Zahawi v Alastair Campbell
Nadhim Zahawi gave Alastair Campbell a few mentions this morning, naming him as someone “egging” government to turn on each other.
“Wherever Alastair Campbell is, you want to be on the opposite side of the argument,” he added to Sky News.
Here is the former Blair comms chief’s reply:
Zoe Tidman6 July 2022 08:25
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Boris Johnson has ‘great instinct for self-preservation’ – but just about himself, Tory MP says
A Tory MP has said Boris Johnson has a “great instinct for self-preservation”.
“The unfortunate thing is it is about him, not about the country, not even about the Conservative party,” Sir Roger Gale told Sky News.
Zoe Tidman6 July 2022 08:16
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/boris-johnson-resign-rishi-sunak-javid-cabinet-b2116677.html
