LAST UPDATE | 7 Jul 2022

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THE UK GOVERNMENT’S Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis has resigned from his post this morning as calls continue for Boris Johnson to step down from his role as prime minister.

Six other government members have resigned this morning, signalling discontent that Johnson has not already left office and bringing the tally to 53.

In his resignation letter, Lewis said that the government requires “honesty, integrity and mutual respect”. 

He told Johnson he had “given you, and those around you, the benefit of the doubt”.

“I have gone out and defended this Government both publicly and privately,” he said.

“We are, however, now past the point of no return. I cannot sacrifice my personal integrity to defend things as they stand now. It is clear that our Party, parliamentary colleagues, volunteers and the whole country, deserve better.”

The outgoing Northern Ireland Secretary, who took over the role in early 2020, told Johnson that the government had taken “huge strides to level up the economy of Northern Ireland and have not shied away from taking other difficult decisions; confronting the practical issues with the Northern Ireland Protocol, advocating for the reproductive rights of women and championing the benefits of integrated education for all”.

He continued: “A decision to leave Government is never taken lightly, particularly at such a critical time for Northern Ireland. I have taken a lot of time to consider this decision, having outlined my position to you at length last night.

Lewis said that in recent months, the Conservative Party has been “relentlessly on the defensive, consumed by introspection and in-fighting”.

“A divided Party cannot win elections. It cannot deliver for those who trusted us with their votes for the first time in 2019.”

Helen Whately, MP for a constituency in south-east England, has resigned as Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury.

In her resignation, she told Johnson: “Your vision for our country and your mission to level-up has inspired and galvanised people.”

As Exchequer Secretary I have seen this in practice and been proud to play a part. I have argued that you should continue as Prime Minister many times in recent months, but there are only so many times you can apologise and move on.

“That point has been reached.”

The third resignation this morning came from Damian Hinds, another MP in south-east England and the Minister of State for Security and Borders.

“It shouldn’t take the resignation of dozens of colleagues, but for our country, and trust in our democracy, we must have a change of leadership,” he said.

Hinds’ resignations was shortly followed by George Freeman, an MP in east England, who is leaving his role as Minister for Science.

Freeman condemned Johnson for a “lack of transparency and candour with Parliament (and willingness to ask your ministers to mislead Parliament)” and said “your leadership, the chaos in No 10, breakdown of Cabinet collective responsibility and collapse of public confidence in government represents a constitutional crisis”.

Next to resign were pensions minister Guy Opperman, technology minister Chris Philp, and courts’ minister James Cartlidge, who all called for Johnson to leave his position as prime minister.

Additional reporting by PA