Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, has been sacked from his role as pressure mounts on Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Earlier today it was claimed that Gove had told Johnson to step down as Prime Minister as he believed that the time was right for him to go.
It comes as Johnson faces increased pressure following to quit following Partygate and his handling of the Chris Pincher sexual abuse allegations.
Cabinet members also joined the calls for him to go with reports of Priti Patel and former Housing Minister Grant Shapps both advising the Prime Minister to leave.
However, despite that pressure, Johnson has said that he will go on. It now looks like it will be down to the 1922 Committee to oust him should they be able to change their rules and receive a vote of no-confidence.
Gove was a leadership contender alongside Johnson in 2019 and it could be expected that he would throw his hat in the ring again – should Johnson quit.
Numerous other Ministers have resigned today – including Housing Minister Stuart Andrew who quit his role earlier today.
It comes on a day when the Prime Minister was pilloried from all sides during Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs).
During PMQs Conservative MP Tim Loughton asked the Prime Minister whether there were any circumstances in which he would resign.
Johnson responded: “The job of a Prime Minister [with a] colossal mandate is to keep going”.
This is despite 42 Government resignations over the past 24 hours.
These resignations included the high-profile departures of Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak and Health Secretary Sajid Javid.
Javid also delivered a blistering resignation speech in Parliament earlier today.
Javid said he is “instinctively a team player” but told the Commons: “Treading the tightrope between loyalty and integrity has become impossible in recent months.
“I will never risk losing my integrity.” Javid said his time as Health Secretary had “undoubtedly also been one of the toughest roles that I have had so far”.
The 1922 has elections on Monday and is widely expected to change its rules to allow a vote of no confidence in Johnson.
Under existing rules, Johnson would have been safe for a year from the last no confidence vote.
