Cabinet minister Dominic Raab would have been caretaker prime minister in an “ideal world” the treasurer of the Conservatives’ 1922 committee has said, but conceded: “That ship has sailed”.
The comments from Sir Geoffrey Clinton-Brown came after Boris Johnson filled vacant cabinet roles, pledging not to “implement new policies or make major changes of direction” during his remaining time in office.
But amid anger over the prime minister’s conduct, a series of Conservative backbenchers called for Mr Johnson to resign immediately — rather than acting as a caretaker PM until a new Tory leader is elected.
