George Freeman resigns as science minister

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George Freeman resigns as science minister

George Freeman seems to have quit as science minister. He wrote a coruscating letter saying Boris Johnson is presiding over a constitutional crisis and that he no longer has confidence in Johnson's leadership of our country, government or party.

I am afraid that the culmination of your lack of transparency and candour with parliament and willingness to ask your ministers to mislead parliament your removal of key pillars of the ministerial code, your handling of your appointment of a deputy whip who you know had a history of sexual abuse allegations is too much. This is seriously damaging public trust and respect for government, democracy and the law, and this great party's long tradition as the party of standards, character, conduct, integrity and duty to office and country before partisan self-interest. Your leadership, the chaos in No 10, breakdown of cabinet collective responsibility and collapse of public confidence in government is a constitutional crisis. It is now seriously undermining our authority in key negotiations on the world stage at a time of urgent international crises.

Freeman is calling for a no confidence vote in Johnson in the letter he wrote to Sir Graham Brady, chair of the Conservative 1922 Committee.

Freeman does not explicitly state in the letter that he is resigning, even though the letter reads like a resignation letter. This is not the first time that Freeman has left some ambiguity in a public statement about his position on Boris Johnson. Freeman later confirmed that he was resigning.