United Kingdom: Boris Johnson clings to his post, a delegation of ministers calls for his resignation

A "pathetic spectacle" for some, a "combative" speech for others.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson showed his determination to “continue” in his post this Wednesday, during the weekly session of questions in front of deputies, despite an avalanche of resignations within the government.

Read alsoThirty resignations in 24 hours: 5 minutes to understand the haemorrhage within the British government

And not to arrange his affairs, a delegation of British ministers including several heavyweights of the government is preparing to officially ask him to resign, according to several British media on Wednesday.

Asked about this during a hearing before the heads of parliamentary committees, Boris Johnson replied that he was not going to “comment live on political events”.

"We will continue with the government of this country," he said.

Ignoring calls to leave, Boris Johnson instead claimed that the “colossal mandate” given to him by voters in 2019 gave him the duty to “continue”.

Opposition Labor leader Keir Starmer slammed an end-of-reign "pathetic spectacle" while Scottish Nationalist SNP leader in the House of Commons Ian Blackford demanded a snap election.

In the afternoon, Boris Johnson rejected such an idea.

The resigning ministers had harsh words for the head of government, questioning his honesty.

In front of the deputies, the former Minister of Health Sajid Javid detailed the reasons for his departure, convinced that Boris Johnson would not change: "that's enough", he launched, before some deputies resumed a " bye Boris” launched by one of them.

His resignation, as well as that of his colleague from Finance were announced on Tuesday evening when Boris Johnson had just apologized after a new scandal.

The Conservative leader admitted having made a "mistake" in appointing in February in his government Chris Pincher, deputy chief "whip" in charge of parliamentary discipline for Conservative MPs, accused of sexual assault.

His political survival hangs by a thread

Far from the triumph of his Downing Street debut in 2019 under the promise of delivering Brexit, the Tory leader now seems hemmed in by embarrassing business and accusations of lies.

The resignation of the Ministers of Health and Finance triggered the haemorrhage.

Other less senior members of the government have in turn thrown in the towel, bringing the total number of departures to nearly thirty.

Boris Johnson quickly replaced the two resigners by appointing his Education Minister Nadhim Zahawi to Finance and Steve Barclay, hitherto in charge of government coordination, to Health.

While several ministers have reaffirmed their support for the head of government, his political survival hangs by a thread.

By mid-afternoon, he began to clash with the chairmen of the main House of Commons committees, including some of his most vocal critics within the Conservative Party.

According to a Savanta ComRes poll published on Wednesday, 72% of Britons believe he should quit.

Already considerably weakened by the Downing Street party scandal during the Covid-19 pandemic, Boris Johnson survived a vote of no confidence from his own camp a few weeks ago.

But according to the British press, the anti-Johnson are maneuvering to allow a new vote quickly, by changing the current rule which protects the head of government for another 11 months.

The executive office of the powerful "Comité 1922", competent to settle the question, must meet in the afternoon.