Two of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s most senior cabinet colleagues have resigned.
ishi Sunak said he was resigning as chancellor shortly after announcing the resignation of health minister Sajid Javid.
Mr Sunak wrote on Twitter: “The public rightly expects the government to act properly, competently and seriously.
“I admit this may be my last ministerial post, but I believe these standards are worth fighting for and that is why I am resigning.”
In a letter to the Prime Minister, Health Minister Boris Johnson said the British people “rightly expect integrity from their government”.
Sajid Javid wrote: “The tone you set as a leader, and the values you represent, reflect on your colleagues, your party and ultimately the country.
“Conservatives at their best are seen as stubborn decision-makers, guided by strong values. We may not have always been popular, but we were competent to act in the national interest.
“Unfortunately, in the current circumstances, the public comes to the conclusion that we are not one now.”
In a tweet, Mr Javid said: “I spoke to the Prime Minister to present my resignation as Secretary of State for Health and Social Care.
“It was an enormous privilege to serve in this role, but I regret that I can no longer continue with a good conscience.”
The resignations come because Mr. Johnson denied that he lied to assistants about his knowledge of allegations against Chris Pincher.
No 10 spokespersons and ministers have given a series of divergent explanations as to what Mr. Johnson’s knowledge of the situation was not.
Asked if he had lied to them, Mr. Johnson said: “No and let me explain what happened. We are talking about a series of appointments over seven years.
“Chris Pincher came into the government as deputy chief whip before I became prime minister, he was moved to the foreign office, he then became a minister for housing and we then moved him back to deputy chief whip.
“About two and a half years ago I received this complaint, it was something that was only very briefly raised with me, but I wish that we, especially I, acted on it and that he did not continue in government, for he then has, I am afraid, continued to act, as far as we can see, according to the allegations we have, very, very bad.
“I feel sorry for those who have been badly affected by it.”
Mr Johnson said Chris Pincher should have been sacked by the government after the 2019 incident that investigated him through the Foreign Office.
Office.
Asked if it was a mistake to appoint Mr Pincher to the government, the Prime Minister said: “I think it was a mistake and I apologize for it. Afterwards it was the wrong thing to do.
“I apologize to everyone who was badly affected by it. I want to make it absolutely clear that there is no place in this government for anyone who is a predator or who abuses their position of power. “
Speaking to reporters in his Commons office, he did not deny that he was making jokes: “Pincher by name, Pincher by nature”.
He said: “What I can tell you is that, if I look at the background to this and why I’m so sorry about it, is that a complaint was made against Chris Pincher in the Foreign Office about three years ago, the complaint was cleared up, I apologized.
“It was raised orally with me, I was informed about what happened. If I had my time again, I would think back on it and realize that he is not going to learn a lesson and he is not going to change and I regret it. ”
Tory MP Nick Gibb, a critic of the prime minister, called on cabinet ministers to Johnson to stand at the top.
The former minister of schools told the BBC PM program: “I am concerned that the public can now trust what ministers are saying on the airwaves.”
Asked if he believed Downing Street’s version of the Chris Pincher controversy, he said: “It extends credibility.”