Both the chancellor and the health secretary have left the cabinet, claiming that they no longer trust Boris Johnson to run the country. The public, according to Chancellor Rishi Sunak, expects the government to be run fully, competently, and seriously. Sajid Javid, the health secretary, reaffirmed this, claiming that the government was not operating in the national interest. Minutes after the PM expressed regret for assigning MP Chris Pincher to a government position, the resignations occurred.
Despite being informed of prior charges regarding the MP’s behavior, Mr. Johnson said he had made a “terrible mistake” when he chose Mr. Pincher to serve as the deputy chief whip earlier this year. In an interview, Mr. Johnson said: “In hindsight, it was the wrong thing to do. I apologize to everybody who has been badly affected by it.” Both the opposition and some of his MPs have sharply criticized how he handled the controversy.
Weeks after surviving a no-confidence vote, Mr. Johnson is now facing a new leadership crisis as a result of the resignations of two senior cabinet members. Following his victory with 59 percent of the vote, the Prime Minister is exempt from a Conservative leadership challenge until June of the following year.
