The entertainment world has been reacting after Rishi Sunak and Sajid Javid resigned from their roles in Boris Johnson‘s government this evening (July 5).
The pair of resignations – announced within minutes of each other – came after the Prime Minister apologised for appointing Chris Pincher as deputy chief whip despite knowing about a 2019 investigation into inappropriate behaviour made against Pincher. The MP resigned last week after being accused of groping two men in a private members club.
In his statement, Johnson said it “was a mistake” to appoint Pincher to the role and “in hindsight the wrong thing to do”.
Javid then resigned as Health Secretary this evening, saying that the UK needs a “strong and principled Conservative party” and that he can “no longer continue in good conscience” to serve under Johnson.
I have spoken to the Prime Minister to tender my resignation as Secretary of State for Health & Social Care.
It has been an enormous privilege to serve in this role, but I regret that I can no longer continue in good conscience. pic.twitter.com/d5RBFGPqXp
— Sajid Javid (@sajidjavid) July 5, 2022
Minutes later, Sunak then served his own resignation, writing: “The public rightly expect government to be conducted properly, competently and seriously.
“I recognise this may be my last ministerial job, but I believe these standards are worth fighting for and that is why I am resigning.”
The public rightly expect government to be conducted properly, competently and seriously.
I recognise this may be my last ministerial job, but I believe these standards are worth fighting for and that is why I am resigning.
My letter to the Prime Minister below. pic.twitter.com/vZ1APB1ik1
— Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) July 5, 2022
In the wake of the resignations, many have been reacting on social media, with Tim Burgess joking of Boris: “He said he’d like to stay until 2030. Not sure he’s going to make it to 19:30.”
He said he’d like to stay until 2030. Not sure he’s going to make it to 19:30
— Tim Burgess (@Tim_Burgess) July 5, 2022
Trainspotting author Irvine Welsh, meanwhile, labelled Sunak’s statement as “meaningless fucking bullshit.”
Meaningless fucking bullshit mate. https://t.co/fWRXTgw4LN
— Irvine Welsh (@IrvineWelsh) July 5, 2022
Comedian Nish Kumar added: “Balancing out the fact that I can’t stand Javid or Sunak with the fact that I love to see a rich white man brought down by asians.”
Balancing out the fact that I can't stand Javid or Sunak with the fact that I love to see a rich white man brought down by asians
— Nish Kumar (@MrNishKumar) July 5, 2022
🍿
— Jack Bevan (@jackbevan) July 5, 2022
I’m watching Thor tonight, let me know when Boris resigns 😈👀
— Munya Chawawa (@munyachawawa) July 5, 2022
Last month, Boris Johnson won a no-confidence vote in his leadership of the Conservative Party.
211 Tory MPs voted that they had confidence in Johnson’s leadership while 148 voted against him. That means over 40 per cent of his MPs are against him.
Johnson called his confidence vote win “decisive”, adding that it was a “convincing” result and “an opportunity to put behind us all the stuff that the media goes on about”.