More than Thirty-four ministers, including Bury St Edmund’s MP, have resigned. This follows as Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Health Secretary Sajid Javid resigned on Tuesday July 5thJo Churchill MP wrote to the prime minister after allegations over MP Chris Pincher’s conduct emerged saying, “our beloved country is facing an uncertain future and strong headwinds. A clear, selfless vision is needed”.
The DEFRA minister joins a growing list of MPs who have resigned following the conduct of Chris Pincher, including Colchester MP Will Quince as an Education Minister. The MP who defended the Prime Minister on TV on July 5th said, “after I accepted and repeated assurances on Monday to the media which have now been found to be inaccurate”, however, the prime minister has said in defence “I cannot for the life of me see how it is responsible for me to walk away”.
Will Quince believes he does not have an option saying, “I have no choice but to tender my resignation as Minister for Children and Families”.
I had the privilege to be PPS to @RishiSunak through the pandemic. I will never forget those weeks in March & April 2020 where he put heaven & earth into furlough & all the other schemes. Whatever is written about today, a lot of businesses wouldn’t be around today if not for him https://t.co/GHvMywJMWQ
— James Cartlidge MP 🇬🇧 🇺🇦 (@jcartlidgemp) July 5, 2022
Other Suffolk Members of Parliament including South Suffolk MP James Cartlidge and Suffolk Coastal MP Dr. Therese Coffey have both said they are not planning to resign from government. Mr Cartlidge has praised Rishi Sunak, after he resigned, tweeting: “I will never forget those weeks in March and April 2020 where he [Mr Sunak] put heaven and earth into furlough and all the other schemes. Whatever is written about today, a lot of businesses wouldn’t be around today if not for him”. The heart-warming re-tweet was tweeted after ex-chancellor Rishi Sunak said, “I recognise this may be my last ministerial job, but I believe these standards are worth fighting for and that is why I am resigning”.
The public rightly expect government to be conducted properly, competently and seriously.
I recognise this may be my last ministerial job, but I believe these standards are worth fighting for and that is why I am resigning.
My letter to the Prime Minister below. pic.twitter.com/vZ1APB1ik1
— Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) July 5, 2022
A number of MPs are calling for Boris Johnson to resign following the events in the last 24 hours, as the prime minister sees no reason to call an early election. Among those calling for Johnson to step down are Micheal Gove and Kwasi Kwarteng, two senior ministers of the cabinet. The Prime Minister is not denying that they told him to step down. Johnson says he is having a good week after being asked how his week was going he briefly replied “terrific” stating he would not talk about other governmental issues.
Sajid Javid and Rishi Sunak were the first two ministers to resign. In Mr Javid’s resignation speech he said, “at some point we have to include that enough is enough”. The former Health Secretary goes onto say that he accepts the Prime Minister’s acknowledgement that things could have been dealt with better in “what was said about what he knew when”, and the appointment of personnel. Sajid Javid feared the reset button could only work so many time saying, “there’s so many times you can turn that machine on and off before you realise something is fundamentally wrong”.
In his letter to the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, ex-Chancellor of the Exchequer said, “To leave ministerial office is a serious matter at any time. For me to step down as Chancellor while the world is suffering the economic consequences of the pandemic, the war in Ukraine and other serious challenges is a decision I have not taken lightly”.