The ministers of health and finance Sajid Javid and Rishi Sunak submitted their resignations on Tuesday. Javid openly questioned the integrity of Prime Minister Boris Johnson, while Sunak declared that he did not consider Johnson's style of government to be competent and serious. On Wednesday morning, three more state secretaries and officials submitted their resignations.
Although several members of the cabinet expressed their support for Johnson after these resignations, this is certainly a big blow to his government. Demands for him to resign are growing louder.
The Partygate Affair
So far, Johnson has received the most criticism for his leadership of the country during the pandemic. Britain had one of the highest death rates in the world, and Johnson was criticized for not bringing the necessary measures in time.
Everything escalated with the "partygate" affair, which has been rocking Johnson's government for several months. It became public knowledge that the prime minister met with colleagues from the cabinet and the party several times at the Government headquarters, Downing Street 10, and had fun with drinks during the lockdown, when drinking was prohibited.
Because of this, the police conducted an investigation, and then determined that there were as many as 136 violations, and that some of them were committed by Johnson himself, his wife, and minister Rishi Sunaka. In the end, the Prime Minister apologized and had to pay a symbolic fine.
Months of criticism within the party
MP Andrew Bridgen is one of Johnson's harshest party critics. In his opinion, Johnson should have resigned several months ago, during "partygate".
"This is not a prime minister I can support, so he has to go, his time is up... If Johnson had resigned back then, we wouldn't have had a police investigation," Bridgen said, adding that if Johnson didn't go on his own, he would have to throw him out, for the good of Great Britain, parliament and democracy.
Johnson has been struggling with a new crisis in recent days, and that's because he appointed MP Chris Pincher as the deputy of the so-called party whip in the parliament. The role of the whip is to maintain party discipline in parliament.
However, Pincer has been accused for years of being a drunkard and of being prone to sexually harassing women. Critics claim that Johnson knew this.
When they do come to light, all of Johnson's scandals play out similarly. First it is claimed that something is not true, then that the prime minister did not know anything, then that he knew something, but forgot, and only when the pressure becomes too great, Johnson apologizes.
"I believe this move was a mistake and I apologize for it," Johnson now told the BBC. "I want to apologize to everyone who has been harmed and to make it clear that there is no place in this administration for those who behave lasciviously or abuse their position."
The opposition demands new elections
As far as the opposition is concerned, they would like to remove both Johnson and his Tories. They demand new elections.
The leader of the opposition Labor Party, Keir Starmer, said the current government was slowly collapsing, along with all the Tories who supported Johnson, and added that a change of government was needed.
It is obvious that some of the ministers are tired of the fact that they have to defend the prime minister again and again. However, Johnson has already filled the gaps in the cabinet and brought in new ministers. In all likelihood, he has no intention of leaving.
Even the conservative Times newspaper turned against the prime minister, writing in its editorial that this is "Game over" for Johnson.
"Every day he remains in office increases the chaos," the newspaper said.
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