Advertisement

Wednesday morning UK news briefing: Boris Johnson names new top team as Rishi Sunak and Sajid Javid quit

Morning UK news briefing: Today's top headlines from The Telegraph
Morning UK news briefing: Today's top headlines from The Telegraph

He is scrambling to shore up his support, but insists he will carry on.

Boris Johnson is battling to save his premiership after two of his most senior Cabinet ministers resigned within 10 minutes of each other.

First Sajid Javid, the Health Secretary, and then Rishi Sunak, the Chancellor, published letters on their Twitter accounts explaining why they could not remain in their posts.

You can read their resignation letters in full here.

Mr Johnson scrambled to fill the gaps on the front bench even as further resignations from government positions were announced.

Nadhim Zahawi, the Education Secretary, was named as the new Chancellor.

It is understood he and Mr Johnson agreed on the need for tax cuts to secure growth in their one-on-one meeting on Tuesday night.

Michelle Donelan, the universities minister, will replace Mr Zahawi as Education Secretary, while Steve Barclay, the Downing Street chief of staff, was appointed to replace Mr Javid as Health Secretary.

Mr Johnson takes to the despatch box for Prime Minister's questions at midday and will answer questions from the liaison committee of MPs at 3pm.

The resignations began just two minutes after broadcasters began playing a clip filmed for the 6pm news where Mr Johnson finally said sorry over his handling of the Chris Pincher scandal.

This was after yet another calamitous day that began with his deputy, Dominic Raab, being hung out to dry by No 10 in both the media and the Commons.

Knocked senseless by the resignations, Nick Gutteridge and Tony Diver recount the events which left the Prime Minister staggering about like Rocky in his final fight. 

Tim Stanley sketches the dramatic day of revelations which ended with the Prime Minister watching a metaphorical lifeboat pushing away from the ship, Mr Sunak and Mr Javid at the oars, others to follow.

Daniel Capurro reveals how history shows that the bond between No 10 and No 11 can make or break any government.

Sunak and Javid 'think they can avoid Heseltine's fate'

By resigning within minutes of each other, Sajid Javid and Rishi Sunak jointly wielded the knife, and they no doubt hope that in doing so one of them will get to wear the crown.

The hesitancy of Cabinet ministers to lead the charge against Boris Johnson in recent months has been put down to the belief that direct challengers never get the top job.

Lord Heseltine's humiliation after he forced out Margaret Thatcher cast a long shadow over the Conservative Party.

But if Mr Johnson is, ultimately, toppled as a result of Tuesday's events, it will be impossible to pinpoint whether it was Mr Javid, who quit first, or Mr Sunak, the senior man, who started the landslide.

Gordon Rayner analyses how the pair will now believe they can avoid Lord Heseltine's fate.

Here are the runners and riders who could replace Mr Johnson as the next Tory leader.

Prime Minister stuck in a Time Warp of self-delusion

After a string of scandals, why is this the moment that could truly signal the end for the Prime Minister?

After the savageries of partygate, only a pitch perfect response to the resignation of Chris Pincher, the deputy chief whip, would do.

Yet Camilla Tominey analyses how, instead, what Tory MPs got on Tuesday was a Rocky Horror Show with Mr Johnson stuck in a Time Warp of self-delusion.

Following the resignations, rebel candidates in the 1922 Committee elections are planning to change its rules to oust Mr Johnson.

A senior source on the committee said the departures would "concentrate minds" among rebels.

David Frost says Mr Johnson is not the leader we need to tackle the tests the country faces.

The Telegraph View is that this political crisis must be resolved.

Daily dose of Matt

Wimbledon helped to inspire Matt's latest cartoon. For a weekly behind-the-scenes look at his work, sign up for his newsletter. Here is Blower's latest cartoon on this week's events.

Also in the news: Today's other headlines

Excess deaths are on the rise | Hundreds more people than usual are dying each week in England and Wales with Covid not to blame for the majority of deaths, new figures show. Health experts have called for an urgent investigation into what is behind the excess mortality, with fears that the pandemic response, lack of access to healthcare and even the cost of living crisis, may be to blame. Read on for the numbers.

Around the world: Boy, 2, loses both parents in attack

A two-year-boy rescued alone and bloodied from the July 4 shooting outside Chicago lost both parents in the attack, it has emerged. The child, identified as Aiden, was thought to have been separated from his mother and father in the chaos, however Kevin, 37, and Irina McCarthy, 35, were named on Tuesday by police as being among the list of seven victims. It emerged the gunman legally bought high-powered rifles despite police being called to his home twice after he threatened suicide and violence. Robert Crimo, 21, has been charged with seven counts of first-degree murder. The shooting in the affluent Chicago suburb of Highland Park indicates how there is no longer a particular place in the country where "this sort of thing" happens any more. These three charts that show even the safest US states are never far from a mass shooting.

Passers-by pay tributes to the victims of the Highland Park shooting in Chicago on Monday, during the independence day parade - Charles Rex Arbogast/AP
Passers-by pay tributes to the victims of the Highland Park shooting in Chicago on Monday, during the independence day parade - Charles Rex Arbogast/AP

Comment and analysis

Sport briefing: Norrie benefits from home advantage

Cameron Norrie was down and out, staring down defeat. Then he seemed to remember he was playing in front of a home crowd at Wimbledon – one which included royalty – and suddenly, everything changed. After the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrived at Court No 1, he overcame David Goffin in a dramatic five setter in which the Wimbledon crowd fell in love with their British No 1 - and setting up a semi-final against Novak Djokovic. Meanwhile, after their record-breaking run chase, Sir Geoffrey Boycott says he does not like how England are playing Test cricket at the moment - he loves it! In football, England's women’s team will receive a bonus of £55,000 each if they win the European Championship this summer, it can be revealed.

Editor's choice

  1. Catwalk's size 12 darling | Why do fashion designers have such a problem with normal?

  2. Hand luggage only | How to master the art of packing light

  3. New conflict... in London's courts | The secrets of the spies' favourite hotel

Business briefing: Households 'could survive 5pc rates'

The Bank of England has raised the spectre of a sharp rise in interest rates after deputy governor Sir Jon Cunliffe said that households could withstand borrowing costs as high as 5pc without defaulting on their debts. A combination of more fixed rate mortgage borrowers, lending caps imposed by the Bank in 2014 and taxpayer support during the cost of living crisis mean that families could cope with rates far higher than the 3pc peak forecast by markets in coming months, Sir Jon said. It came as Threadneedle Street warned the economic outlook had "deteriorated materially". A sell-off has swept through markets as mounting convictions of an imminent global recession sparked a flight to safety, with £50bn wiped off the FTSE 100 and even the price of gold falling.

Tonight's dinner

Mussels with smoky tomato and chilli sauce | This simple, spicy main dish can be pulled together in under an hour. Read the recipe.

Travel tips: Shamefully under-visited part of Scotland

Just an hour from Edinburgh, ­Berwickshire is a naturally beautiful region in Scotland's southeast, imbued with maritime heritage, and yet shamefully under-visited. Its coastline runs south from Cove Harbour, just a few miles south of "Sunny Dunny" Dunbar, all the way to the English border, where Berwick-upon-Tweed topples just over onto the English side (and has toppled onto the Scottish side more than once). The seaside charm without the crowds make it the ideal weekend escape.

And finally... for this morning's downtime

'Sold out in f-----' 10 seconds!' | Automated scalpers, overbearing sponsors and the tedium of hitting "refresh" again and again. James Hall examines why buying concert tickets has become a living hell.

If you want to receive twice-daily briefings like this by email, sign up to the Front Page newsletter here. For two-minute audio updates, try The Briefing - on podcasts, smart speakers and WhatsApp.