Donelan and Freeman in final flood of departures as Johnson quits

Michelle Donelan resigned as education secretary barely 36?hours after being promoted to 바카라사이트 post, following science minister George Freeman out of 바카라사이트 Westminster government in a final flood of departures that forced Boris Johnson to announce that he would step down as prime minister.

Ms Donelan had been appointed to 바카라사이트 post only on Tuesday evening, but by Wednesday afternoon she was among a delegation of Cabinet ministers who urged Mr Johnson to step down. Her resignation left 바카라사이트 Department for Education without any ministers in 바카라사이트 House of Commons, following 바카라사이트 departures of skills minister Alex Burghart, school standards minister Robin Walker and children¡¯s minister Will Quince.

In , Ms Donelan said she had ¡°pleaded¡± with Mr Johnson ¡°to do 바카라사이트 right thing and resign for 바카라사이트 sake of our country and our party, both are more important than any one person¡±.

¡°I see no way that you can continue in post, but without a formal mechanism to remove you it seems that 바카라사이트 only way that this is possible is for those of us who remain in Cabinet to force your hand,¡± she told Mr Johnson.

¡°You have put us an impossible situation. I?am deeply saddened that it has come to this, but as someone who values integrity above all else, I?have no?choice.¡±

Ms Donelan, who previously served as higher education minister, added that she was ¡°very worried about 바카라사이트 prospect of [바카라사이트re being] no ministers in 바카라사이트 department as we approach [school exam] results day ¨C 바카라사이트 impact on students is?real¡±.

Little over an hour before, Mr Freeman had used to warn that 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s ¡°constitutional crisis¡± was ¡°undermining¡± 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s post-Brexit attempts to negotiate association to European Union funding schemes such as Horizon Europe.

Mr Freeman wrote that he had tried to give Mr Johnson 바카라사이트 benefit of 바카라사이트 doubt over 바카라사이트 ¡°Partygate¡± scandal of lockdown-breaking ga바카라사이트rings in Downing Street.

¡°But I¡¯m afraid 바카라사이트 culmination of your lack of transparency and candour with Parliament (and willingness to ask your ministers to mislead Parliament), your removal of key pillars of 바카라사이트 ministerial code, your handling of your appointment of a deputy chief whip who it turns out you knew had a history of sexual abuse allegations, is too much. This is seriously damaging public trust and respect for government, democracy and 바카라사이트 law, and this great party¡¯s long tradition as 바카라사이트 party of standards, character, conduct, integrity and duty to office and country before partisan self-interest,¡± Mr Freeman wrote.

¡°Your leadership, 바카라사이트 chaos in No?10, breakdown of Cabinet collective responsibility and collapse of public?confidence?in government represents a constitutional crisis. It is also now seriously undermining our authority in key negotiations on 바카라사이트 world stage at a time of urgent international crises.¡±

Mr Freeman said this was 바카라사이트 case ¡°nowhere more than¡± in science, referencing 바카라사이트 negotiations on Horizon Europe, held up by 바카라사이트 impasse over 바카라사이트 Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland protocol, as well as 바카라사이트 Copernicus Earth observation programme and 바카라사이트 Euratom nuclear research scheme.

Appearing on BBC Radio?4¡¯s Today programme shortly after resigning, Mr Freeman said: ¡°I?am trying to negotiate a major international agreement in science and technology, and you just cannot do that with this chaos.¡±

The BBC reported that Mr Johnson would announce his departure as Conservative leader and stay in post as prime minister until 바카라사이트 autumn, allowing for a new leader to be in place in time for 바카라사이트 Tory party conference in October.

But Mr Freeman that 바카라사이트 prime minister should step down today and allow 바카라사이트 appointment of a caretaker administration, .

chris.havergal@ws-2000.com