Even Boris Johnson’s most blinkered allies “know it’s all over” for him, a Tory MP says.
The Prime Minister was left seriously wounded tonight after Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Health Secretary Sajid Javid quit the Cabinet.
The two top Tories launched their coup amid fury over Mr Johnson’s handling of the Chris Pincher scandal.
The resignations came within minutes of the PM finally admitting it was a “mistake” to appoint his ally Mr Pincher as deputy chief whip.
The Partygate scandal had left Mr Johnson in the last chance saloon with many of his MPs.
Senior Tories were last night saying the PM is fatally damaged and would be gone by the weekend.
Some loyalists such as Deputy PM Dominic Raab, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and Housing Secretary Michael Gove are sticking by him for now.
One angry Tory MP told the Mirror: “If he had any decency then he’d resign, but he won’t.
“The Cabinet know it’s over but they keep propping him up.”
Tories believe that if Mr Johnson refuses to quit, the backbench 1922 committee may change the rules to allow another confidence vote in him in the coming months.
In an explosive letter, Mr Javid said he could not “in good conscience” stay in the Government while Mr Johnson remained in charge.
He added: “The tone you set as a leader, and the values you represent, reflect on your colleagues, your party and ultimately the country.
“Conservatives... may not have always been popular, but we have been competent in acting in the national interest. Sadly, in the current circumstances, the public are concluding that we are now neither...
“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 that it is clear to me this situation will not change under your leadership – and you have therefore lost my confidence too.”
Moments later, Mr Sunak stepped down. He blasted: “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 PM, who said he was “sorry” to get the resignation letters, appointed Nadhim Zahawi as Chancellor and Steve Barclay as Health Secretary.
Michelle Donelan takes over from Mr Zahawi as Education Secretary.
A number of aides and party figures also quit, having become fed up with the PM’s lack of integrity. Mr Pincher resigned as deputy chief whip last week over claims he groped two men.
No10 spent days claiming Mr Johnson was unaware of any “specific allegations” about Mr Pincher before giving him the Government job in February.
This line changed slightly on Monday, but not enough to stop former Foreign Office chief Sir Simon McDonald publishing a bombshell letter yesterday.
It revealed Mr Johnson was briefed in person about alleged wrongdoing by Mr Pincher at the Foreign Office in 2019.
Sir Simon said: “No10 keep changing their story and are still not telling the truth. They need to come clean.”
The Government bizarrely then claimed Mr Johnson had forgotten he knew about Mr Pincher’s conduct at the Foreign Office in 2019.
Tory minister Michael Ellis told the Commons: “Last week when fresh allegations arose, the Prime Minister did not immediately recall the conversation in late 2019 about this incident.
"As soon as he was reminded, the No10 press office corrected their public lines.”
Speaking to broadcasters, Mr Johnson then admitted he had made a “mistake” appointing Mr Pincher as deputy chief whip this year.
He added: “I apologise to everybody who has been badly affected by it.
“I want to make clear there’s no place in this government for anybody who is predatory or who abuses their position of power.”
The complaint against Mr Pincher in 2019 was upheld although it did not lead to formal disciplinary action.
He has not quit as an MP but has said he is taking a leave of absence to get medical support.
Mr Johnson’s Cabinet was pictured stony-faced yesterday even before the resignations.
Anthony Mangnall was among the Tory MPs to hit out, saying: “It’s time for Cabinet colleagues to recognise the appalling damage the Prime Minister is doing to the party, the Government and country.”
Labour leader Keir Starmer said: “After all the sleaze, the scandals and the failure, it’s clear this Government is collapsing.
“Tory ministers have known all along who this Prime Minister is.
"They have been his cheerleaders throughout this sorry saga. Backing him when he broke the law, backing him when he lied repeatedly, backing him when he mocked the sacrifices of the British people.
“In doing so, they have been complicit every step of the way as he has disgraced his office and let down his country.
“If they had a shred of integrity they would have gone months ago.”
