Bury's Jo Churchill QUITS government as resignations continue

She resigned as a DEFRA minister this morning

Bury's Jo Churchill says she no longer feels able to serve in government
Author: Matt SoanesPublished 6th Jul 2022

Bury St Edmunds MP Jo Churchill has become one of the latest to quit the government - resigning from her job at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

It comes after two senior ministers walked out last night over the handling of the controversy surrounding the MP Chris Pincher.

Within minutes of each other, both Chancellor, Rishi Sunak and Health Secretary, Sajid Javid, quit their roles last night.

Jo Churchill said in her resignation letter to the Prime Minister: "Recent events have shown integrity, competence, and judgment are all essential to the role of Prime Minister, while a jocular self-serving approach is bound to have its limitations."

"Our beloved country is facing an uncertain future and strong headwinds, a clear, self-less vision is needed. The country and party deserve better and so with a heavy heart I have decided to resign."

Elsewhere the Ipswich MP Tom Hunt has also made clear he's lost confidence in the PM.

In a statement posted on Facebook, he wrote: "(The) events of the past week have been the straw that has broken the camel's back."

"In a sense one of the worst things about the revelations at the Carlton Club last week was how unsurprising they were to many colleagues.

"I personally find it hard to believe that the Prime Minister wasn't aware of the extent of concerns about the former Deputy Chief whip.

"I strongly believe that the situation which occurred last week could have been avoided and I also think that the handling of it subsequently was deeply disappointing."

Suffolk Coastal MP Therese Coffey remains in post as Work and Pensions Secretary.

She was one of the ministers who appeared on TV over the weekend to repeat the claim that Boris Johnson was not aware of "specific allegations" aginst Chris Pincher.

Waveney's Peter Aldous - a known critic of the Prime Minister - said: "These situations keep arising every week, or every 10 days or so."

"I have felt for some time that he should step aside... I think he can still do it with some grace."

"If he were to do it in the next 24 hours or so... I think he would leave a good legacy".

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