British Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Health Secretary Sajid Javid resigned from their post on Tuesday, with Sunak posting his resignation on Twitter Inc. (NYSE:TWTR), in direct protest against Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
The announcements come on the heels of Johnson’s surviving a no-confidence vote of 211-148.
"The public rightly expects government to be conducted properly, competently and seriously," Sunak wrote. "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 implication here is that Sunak doesn’t believe Johnson’s government bears any of those qualities.
The public rightly expect government to be conducted properly, competently and seriously.
— Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) July 5, 2022
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
What is a no-confidence vote? A no-confidence vote is simply voting against someone's continued suitability for a position of authority. Johnson survived the vote in June when Conservative members of parliament voted 211-148 in favor of letting Johnson stay in power during a secret ballot in Westminster.
“I have been loyal to you [Johnson]," Sunak said. "I backed you to become Leader of our Party and encouraged others to do so. I have served as your Chancellor with gratitude that you entrusted me with stewardship of the nation’s economy and finances. Above all, I respected the powerful mandate given to you by the British people in 2019 and how under your leadership we broke the Brexit deadlock.”
Johnson's answers to months of reports about lockdown-breaking parties in government buildings — which ultimately amounted to 126 fines, including one levied upon Johnson — fueled doubts about his direction.
The prime minister has recently been at the center of numerous scandals, including accusations of misusing public funds, his alleged pursuit of a lucrative government position for his then-mistress, and his defense of allies accused of acting recklessly.
Despite the public and internal backlash, Johnson has consistently refused to step down. Last month, he even made a commitment to serve as prime minister until the "mid-2030s."
