Lord Frost who has resigned from the Cabinet (Peter Byrne/PA)
(PA Wire)
Brexit minister David Frost has resigned from Boris Johnson’s cabinet in protest at “the direction of travel,” triggering a fresh crisis inside Downing Street after an already turbulent week for the prime minister.
Lord Frost – one of the most popular members of the cabinet among the Conservative faithful – handed in his resignation a week ago and had been persuaded to stay in his post until January but last night said he would step down “with immediate effect.”
His resignation represents a major political blow for the prime minister who is already facing a series of crises over “gatherings” in No 10 during Covid restrictions, growing discontent on the Tory backbenches over his leadership and this week’s historic loss in the North Shropshire by-election.
Meanwhile, Nadine Dorries has been booted off a Tory WhatsApp group by MP Steve Baker after defending ‘hero’ Boris Johnson during an exchange over Lord Frost’s resignation as Brexit minister yesterday.
The messages were sent in a group called Clean Global Brexit made up of around 100 Conservative MPs show after a week widely seen as the worst in Mr Johnson’s premiership.
Boris Johnson ‘running out of friends’ as Brexit minister resigns
Boris Johnson has been warned by a prominent Tory MP that he is running out of time and friends to help deliver on his promises, as the Mail on Sunday reported Brexit minister Lord Frost had resigned.
The newspaper reported it was the introduction of Plan B coronavirus measures that prompted Lord Frost’s decision, including the implementation of Covid passes.
Brexiteer MP Andrew Bridgen (North West Leicestershire) warned that Lord Frost’s resignation showed the PM was “running out of time and out of friends to deliver on the promises and discipline of a true Conservative Government”.
He tweeted: “Lord Frost has made it clear, 100 Conservative backbenchers have made it clear, but most importantly so did the people of North Shropshire.”
Emily Atkinson19 December 2021 08:20
Nadine Dorries removed from Conservative WhatsApp group for defending ‘hero’ Boris Johnson
The culture secretary was booted off a Tory WhatsApp group after defending ‘hero’ Boris Johnson during an exchange over Lord Frost’s resignation as Brexit minister yesterday.
The messages were sent in a group called Clean Global Brexit made up of around 100 Conservative MPs show after a week widely seen as the worst in Mr Johnson’s premiership.
Theresa Villiers, the former Northern Ireland secretary, calls Lord Frost’s exit “very worrying” and MP Andrew Bridgen a “disaster”.
The culture secretary then rushed to the PMs side. She wrote: “The hero is the Prime Minister who delivered Brexit.
“I’m aware as someone said today that regicide is in the DNA of the Conservative party, but a bit of loyalty to the person who won an 83 majority and delivered Brexit wouldn’t go amiss.”
The screenshots – obtained by Sky News – then show MP Steve Baker, former chair of the Brexit-supporting European Research Group, remove Ms Dorries from the group, writing: “Enough is enough” and a thumbs-up emoji of himself.
Emily Atkinson19 December 2021 08:07
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Emily Atkinson19 December 2021 08:06
Kaynak: briturkish.com
