BORIS JOHNSON IS fighting for his political life this evening as pressure continues to mount on him to resign.
In less than 24 hours, the UK Prime Minister has been dealt the biggest blow of his premiership as his chancellor and health secretary resigned, followed by a wave of MPs who have all lost confidence in his leadership.
The resignation of Conservative deputy chief whip Chris Pincher last week for allegedly sexually assaulting two men at a Tory private members’ club in London prompted the beginning of what is now the biggest crisis of Johnson’s leadership.
It follows a barrage of scandals that have happened under his watch, including the Owen Paterson lobbying scandal, the ‘partygate’ row and the confidence vote in his leadership last month, which he survived by a majority of 63.
But how have things unfolded so quickly? Here’s a timeline of the events of the last week that have led to Johnson’s downfall.
30 June
Conservative deputy chief whip Chris Pincher resigns his position after allegedly sexually assaulting two men the previous evening at the Carlton Club, a Tory private members’ club in London.
Pincher apologises to Johnson in a letter, saying he drank “far too much” and “embarrassed myself and other people”.
1 July
An investigation is launched into the allegations and the Conservative whip is suspended from Pincher.
Downing Street says Johnson was not aware of any allegations about Pincher when he appointed him to the whips’ office in February 2022. Later, No 10 corrects this statement to say that Johnson was not aware of any “specific” allegations against Pincher.
3 July
Work and Pensions Secretary Therese Coffey appears on Sky News to repeat the line that Johnson was not aware of “specific” allegations against Pincher.
“I’m not aware that he was made aware about specific claims about any particular incident. I don’t believe he was aware,” she says.
4 July
Shortly after 7am, children and families minister Will Quince appears on Sky News and says he has been given “a categorical assurance” from Downing Street that Johnson “was not aware of any specific allegation or complaint made against the former deputy chief whip.”
Will Quince MP says he has been given "categorical assurance" from Number 10 that the PM "was not aware of any serious specific allegation with regards to Chris Pincher".https://t.co/PAiZ4D1jU3
— Sky News (@SkyNews) July 4, 2022
📺 Sky 501, Virgin 602, Freeview 233 and YouTube pic.twitter.com/0jBd3AyTuR
Later that afternoon, Downing Street shifts the line and tells reporters at the regular media briefing that Johnson was aware of concerns about Pincher’s conduct when he made him deputy chief whip.
“I can’t get into too much detail but he did take advice on some of the allegations that had been made, but there was no formal complaint at that time and it was deemed not appropriate to stop an appointment simply because of unsubstantiated allegations,” Johnson’s official spokesman said.
“He was aware that there had been reports and speculation over the years with regards to this individual, but there were no specific allegation. There was no formal complaint at that time.”
The spokesman declines to comment on a claim by Johnson’s former chief adviser Dominic Cummings that the Prime Minister had referred to the MP as “Pincher by name, pincher by nature”.
5 July
Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab tells Sky News that Pincher was investigated over a complaint about his conduct when he was a foreign office minister in 2019, but it did not lead to any formal disciplinary action. Rabb was foreign secretary at the time.
He says that while he had informed the then chief whip, Mark Spencer, about the investigation he did not believe it was necessary to tell the Prime Minister.
In an interview with ITV’s Good Morning Britain, Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab insists that Pincher was not “guilty” of anything, while conceding that “the behaviour was inappropriate, unprofessional.”
In a heated exchange with Susanna Reid, Raab says “no formal disciplinary action was taken” and the complainant did not want formal action taken on the matter.
'How does somebody who is found guilty by an internal investigation of inappropriate behaviour, how does that somebody, Chris Pincher in this case, get to be Deputy Chief whip with responsibility for welfare?'@susannareid100 questions Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab 👇#GMB pic.twitter.com/0CAVPIpp05
— Good Morning Britain (@GMB) July 5, 2022
“It did not trip the wire of severity to warrant [a] formal disciplinary process,” he added. “‘Guilty’ is a very loaded term.”
At 7.30am, the former permanent secretary at the Foreign Office Simon McDonald publishes a letter he has written to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards stating that Johnson was briefed “in person” about an investigation into the conduct of Chris Pincher when he was a Foreign Office minister.
This morning I have written to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards - because No 10 keep changing their story and are still not telling the truth. pic.twitter.com/vln9FU4V50
— Simon McDonald (@SimonMcDonaldUK) July 5, 2022
McDonald says the original No 10 line “is not true and the modification is still not accurate”.
He says the complaint against Pincher at the time was investigated and subsequently upheld.
“I am aware that [it] is unusual to write to you and simultaneously publicise the letter. I am conscious of the duty owed to the target of an investigation but I act out of my duty towards the victims,” he says.
“Mr Pincher deceived me and others in 2019. He cannot be allowed to use the confidentiality of the process three years ago to pursue his predatory behaviour in other contexts.”
At noon that day, the Prime Minister’s spokesman confirms that Johnson was briefed on the complaint by officials at the Foreign Office in 2019, a “number of months” after it took place, and failed to remember it.
“At the time last week that was the Prime Minister’s view. You will appreciate it takes some time to establish he was briefed, albeit we don’t think in formal briefing on this,” the spokesman said.
“This dates back a number of years. On Friday, it was our belief that he was not informed about that specific incident.”
At 6pm, Johnson apologises in a BBC interview and acknowledges that he should have sacked Pincher when he was told about the claims against him in 2019.
Asked if promoting him to other government roles was an error, Johnson says: “I think it was a mistake and I apologise for it. In hindsight it was the wrong thing to do.
“I apologise to everybody who has been badly affected by it. I want to make absolutely clear that there’s no place in this Government for anybody who is predatory or who abuses their position of power.”
At 6.02pm, Sajid Javid announces on Twitter that he has resigned as Health Secretary, saying that he can no longer continue “in good conscience”.
I have spoken to the Prime Minister to tender my resignation as Secretary of State for Health & Social Care.
— Sajid Javid (@sajidjavid) July 5, 2022
It has been an enormous privilege to serve in this role, but I regret that I can no longer continue in good conscience. pic.twitter.com/d5RBFGPqXp
In his resignation letter, he says the Tory party is now no longer seen as competent nor popular.
“The vote of confidence last month showed that a large number of our colleagues agree. It was a moment for humility, grip and new direction.
“I regret to say, however, that it is clear to me that this situation will not change under your leadership – and you have therefore lost my confidence too.”
Nine minutes after Javid’s announcement, Rishi Sunak resigns, writing on Twitter: “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.”
The public rightly expect government to be conducted properly, competently and seriously.
— Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) July 5, 2022
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
Several other MPs resign in the hours that follow, including Conservative vice-chair Bim Afolami, trade envoy Andrew Murrison, and Jonathan Gullis, Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Northern Ireland secretary.
Shortly before 10pm, after a hasty Cabinet meeting, it is announced that Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi will replace Sunak as Chancellor, while Downing Street chief of staff Steve Barclay will replace Javid as health secretary. Universities minister Michelle Donelan will replace Zahawi in the education role.
6 July
By noon, two more Tory MPs have resigned ahead of Johnson’s appearance at Prime Minister’s Questions.
In the House of Commons, Labour leader Keir Starmer begins by reading a testimony from a victim of Pincher and blasts Johnson for knowing about his conduct and “promoting him to a position of power anyway”.
Johnson is bullish, saying that the job of a prime minister in difficult circumstances “is to keep going”.
At 3pm, Johnson faces questions from MPs on the Liaison Committee, which meets twice a year.
He repeats sentiments he expressed in the House of Commons, that it would be irresponsible to walk away from his mandate.
He also admits he met Russian oligarch Alexander Lebedev, an ex-KGB agent, in Italy without officials present while foreign secretary.
When asked if he will be prime minister tomorrow, Johnson replies: “Of course”.
He doesn’t give a straight answer when asked if he will be there next week.
By 4.30pm, over 30 MPs have resigned from the government, including eight during the Committee.
At 5pm, it is reported that a delegation of Cabinet ministers, including Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis and newly appointed Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi, are making their way to Downing Street to tell Johnson to resign.
A meeting of the 1922 Committee is also held to discuss whether to change the rules to allow a second no confidence vote in Johnson.
Despite reports that it could happen today, the Committee decides to bring forward its executive election to Monday, with results to be announced in the evening.
It is possible that the new executive may change the rules to allow for another confidence vote in Johnson.
With reporting by the Press Association
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