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Boris Johnson is facing an onslaught of resignations from his government that threaten to bring an end to his premiership, even as he warned plotting rebel Conservatives he will fight any attempt to oust him.
At least 32 British lawmakers including finance minister Rishi Sunak have left Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government in less than 24 hours, saying the British leader no longer has their confidence and plunging his government into crisis.
Asked whether he would resign as he arrived for a scheduled appearance before parliamentary committee, Johnson said: “No, no, no.”
Johnson defied further calls for him to step down amid a wave of government resignations, arguing it wouldn’t “responsible” for him to quit right now in light of pressing domestic issues and the war in Ukraine.
“I look at the the issues that this country faces … I look at the biggest war in Europe for 80 years,” Johnson said, speaking to a parliamentary panel. “And I cannot, for the life of me, see how it is responsible just to walk away from that.”
Five more junior ministers resigned at once early on Wednesday afternoon, in what appeared to be a coordinated attempt to inflict maximum pressure on Johnson. The prime minister has lost now lost more than 25 people from his government, though none bigger than the first to go late Tuesday: Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak and Health Secretary Sajid Javid.
Much of the attention is now on the 5 p.m. meeting of the Tory 1922 Committee, which organizes confidence votes in the party leader. After Johnson narrowly survived a leadership challenge last month, rebel Tories are trying to change the rules to allow a fresh ballot. One could come as soon as next week, a person familiar with the matter said. The prime minister’s press secretary said he would contest any leadership vote, and was confident he would win. Gary Sambrook, a Tory MP on the executive of the 1922 Committee, told Johnson in the House of Commons on Wednesday that he must “take responsibility and resign.”
More than 40 per cent of Johnson’s MPs voted against him last month, and it would take just 32 of his supporters changing sides to defeat him. It’s also possible that the endgame could come before an actual vote, if the committee’s leaders confront the prime minister and make it clear he has no option but to step down — as they did with his immediate predecessor, Theresa May. Johnson has weathered multiple storms during his time as Prime Minister, but this may be one crisis too many.
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