More Boris Johnson aides resign as Cabinet reshuffle continues

After losing his Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Health Secretary Sajid Javid in quick succession, a series of junior ministerial and government aide resignations hit embattled British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday as he fought the latest challenge to his leadership.

Will Quince, who was sent out to defend No. 10 Downing Street sacked Chris Pincher as Deputy Chief Whip just hours before Johnson admitted his mistake in appointing him to a government job, he resigned as education minister.

Soon after, Robin Walker resigned as a ministerial aide at the transport department, warning against a narrowing of the church that I believe any Conservative government should try to achieve. It came as Tory MP Laura Trott quit as a ministerial aide at the transport department saying the government has lost trust, adding to a growing number of aides who have stepped down as a ministerial aide.

Johnson, 58, has so far seemed to be defiant to fight on, moving swiftly to fill the top jobs with Iraqi immigrant minister Nadhim Zahawi coming in as UK Chancellor of Exchequer and Steve Barclay as Health Secretary.

Johnson is safe from any leadership challenge until next summer, according to current rules. The 1922 Committee's executive can change its rules whenever it wants, according to British media reports.

In his first interview with the new post, Zahawi said that the team in government is the team that will deliver.

He urged his Cabinet colleagues to unite behind Johnson, saying that this is a team game, and you play for the team, and you deliver for the team. Johnson will be in the House of Commons with his backbenchers and Opposition MPs later in the Prime Minister's Questions PMQs before he is grilled by the Parliament's Liaison Committee on topics including integrity in politics.

It follows his apology on Tuesday, after days of changing messages from Downing Street about the hiring and handling of the now-suspended Pincher, who quit last week after being accused of groping two men in a private member's club in London. Javid was the first to announce his departure, and he said in his damning resignation letter he could no longer serve in this government. Rishi Sunak followed minutes later, saying the public rightly expect the government to be conducted properly, competently and seriously. More junior ministers and ministerial aides followed, with more exits expected.

But Johnson's allies have spoken out in favour of him, with Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries saying the Prime Minister consistently gets all the big decisions right while Brexit Opportunity Minister Jacob Rees-Mogg said he and others were fined by the police because of his conduct and that of his government, including illegal, Covid-linked lock-down-breaking parties at his Downing Street offices.

Johnson survived a confidence vote last month, but the final count of his lawmakers who rebelled against him was higher than his supporters expected: 41 per cent of his own Conservative parliamentary party refused to back him.