LONDON: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was fighting for his political survival after finance minister Rishi Sunak and another senior minister abruptly resigned over the latest scandal to blight his administration, Reuters has reported.
Sunak and health minister Sajid Javid sent resignation letters to Johnson within minutes of each other in which both took aim at his ability to run an administration that adhered to standards, it said.
Signalling his intention to stay in power for as long as possible, Johnson quickly appointed former businessman and current education minister, Nadhim Zahawi, as his new finance minister.
Steve Barclay, appointed to impose discipline in Johnson’s administration in February, was moved to the health portfolio, according to Reuters.
The resignations came as Johnson was apologising for appointing a lawmaker to a role involved in offering pastoral care to his party, even after being briefed that the politician had been the subject of complaints about sexual misconduct, the report said.
So far, they are the only two ministers in the prime minister’s top cabinet team to resign, with other senior figures expressing support for Johnson. Foreign minister Liz Truss, considered a leading contender to replace him, said she was “100% behind the PM”.
(Inputs from Reuters)
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