According to the BBC and Daily Telegraph, Northern Ireland ministers Brandon Lewis, Transport Minister Grant Shabbs and Wales Minister Simon Hart are ready to step in to pressure Boris Johnson to resign.
The number of members of the British government who have resigned since Tuesday, among ministers and foreign secretaries, rose to at least 32 after five foreign secretaries announced in a joint letter this afternoon that they were leaving Boris Johnson’s government. , assistants and other consultants.
“For the good of the party and the country, we must ask that you resign,” Foreign Secretaries Kemi Patenock, Neil O’Brien, Alex Burkhardt, Lee Rowley and Julia Lopez wrote to Boris Johnson.
However, Johnson reiterated his determination to “carry on” despite a growing number of disgruntled Conservative MPs at a hearing with a liaison committee made up of the leaders of various parliamentary groups.
“The country is going through difficult times,” he said, citing “the pressures people are under and the need for the government to focus on its priorities.”
Noting that it was “the biggest war in Europe in the last 80 years”, he argued that “your retreat would be in no way responsible”.
Asked whether the executive would be affected by the lack of ministers and other members who resigned in recent hours, Johnson replied that there is “a wealth of talent” on the parliamentary bench, with more than 300 representatives.
On the other hand, Boris also said that he does not want to dissolve parliament and hold early elections to deal with the crisis.
Still in parliament, Johnson refused to confirm whether Housing Minister Michael Gove had instructed him to resign, several media reported.
In total, the government is made up of about 160 to 170 people, including ministers, secretaries of state, aides and other advisers, according to the Institute for Government.
The British Prime Minister has come under severe pressure in the last 24 hours with a series of redundancies, which has forced a reshuffle of the squad.
The crisis came after Johnson admitted he knew about allegations of sexual misconduct against Rep. Chris Fincher before he was promoted to deputy chairman of the parliamentary bench in February.
Meanwhile, Fincher, who has been suspended from the Tories, resigned last week after allegations he sexually touched several men at a private club in London, saying he had “drank too much”.
Asked if he wanted to call an early election, Johnson denied the rumours.
“I don’t think anyone in this country wants politicians to go to the polls now. I think we should continue to serve our voters and address issues that concern them,” he added.
