Boris Johnson: Virginia Crosbie quits and calls for PM to resign

A Conservative Welsh MP has quit her job as a government aide and called for Boris Johnson to step down as prime minister.

Ynys Môn MP Virginia Crosbie quit as Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) at the Wales Office, saying Johnson's position had become "untenable".

Her comments came after Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Health Secretary Sajid Javid quit the cabinet.

Welsh Secretary Simon Hart said "it's business as usual" in the Wales Office.

Mr Hart, who faced Welsh Questions in the Commons later, has yet to comment directly on Mr Johnson's leadership following the resignations of Mr Sunak and Mr Javid, both of him said they no longer had confidence in Mr Johnson.

In her resignation letter to Mr Johnson, Ms Crosbie said his "inaccurate and contradictory" statements over what he knew about Chris Pincher were the final straw.

She added it was her belief the country had decided Mr Johnson "cannot be trusted to tell the truth".

"This can never be a position to inhabit for anyone in public life, let alone a prime minister," she added.

Ms Crosbie is the first Welsh Tory MP to publicly call for Boris Johnson's resignation.

She said she had given the prime minister the "benefit of the doubt on many occasions", but believed "the situation is becoming worse".

During Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs) on Wednesday Plaid Cymru's Westminster leader Liz Saville Roberts accused Mr Johnson of putting "political survival over public duty".

But she said whatever happened "the same Westminster arrogance will continue to dictate our futures in Wales", asking him if he wanted a "medal for being the best recruiting sergeant for independence we could wish for?"

The prime minister responded: "I see the bonds of our union are being strengthened the whole time".

Earlier, in Welsh questions, Simon Hart was told by the Plaid Cymru MP that "two cabinet ministers have gone, his PPS [Parliamentary Private Secretary] has gone, it isn't business as usual, is it? When will he [Mr Hart] be going?"

Mr Hart insisted it was "business as usual in the Wales Office" and he was "proud to repeat" that "we are getting on with the Levelling Up Fund, the Community Renewal Fund and the Shared Prosperity Fund - investment across every part of Wales".

The Welsh secretary urged her to "come and join us in the endeavour to improve the lives of people in Wales, rather than using rather cheap political opportunities to do the opposite".

Mr Johnson was hit by further resignations, as he prepared for PMQs.

Nadhim Zahawi, who has replaced Mr Sunak as chancellor, urged his colleagues to unite and said Mr Johnson was focused on delivery.

Tory Senedd leader Andrew RT Davies has said Mr Johnson must "prove he can deliver on his mandate" if he is to stay in post.

Mr Davies said it was "disappointing" the government had "struggled to deliver" its agenda recently, and that "the prime minister must now prove that he can deliver on his [election] mandate".

Mr Javid's and Mr Sunak's resignations came minutes after Mr Johnson sought to draw a line under a row about Mr Pincher, who is facing sexual misconduct allegations.

The MP for Tamworth was suspended as a Conservative MP last week over allegations he groped two men at a private members' club in London.

He said he was seeking professional medical support and had no intention of resigning as an MP.

Mr Davies said: "I've always said it was essential for the prime minister to hold the confidence of our country, party and parliament."

A No 10 source said the new chancellor was "more dynamic and more aligned" with Mr Johnson, and described the new health secretary as a "massive upgrade".

Mr Johnson apologised, on Tuesday evening, for appointing Mr Pincher to a government role after being told about a misconduct complaint against the MP.

The prime minister admitted he had been told about the complaint in 2019 - but had made a "bad mistake" by not acting on it.

Mr Sunak and Mr Javid resigned minutes after the prime minister spoke.

But ex-Monmouthshire Conservative council leader Richard John said the prime minister "really needs to go".

"Boris has defeated Corbyn, delivered the Covid vaccines and shown global leadership on Ukraine, but in politics honesty and integrity are critical," he said.

He knowingly appointed, trivialised and defended Mr Pincher, Mr John said.

Mr John, who was ousted as council leader in May's local elections, has previously called for the prime minister to quit.

Labour Rhondda MP and chairman of the Commons' Committee on Standards and Privileges Chris Bryant, said he was "looking forward to seeing" the prime minister "in the liaison committee tomorrow".

Mr Bryant said there were "massive challenges in the country at the moment with the cost of living crisis and the war in Ukraine".

"You need a leader with moral authority and Boris Johnson has none," he said.

"I'm delighted that Javid and Sunak have finally discovered this but they're complicit in this - because they've defended him up to the hilt all the way until today."

Labour's Shadow Secretary of State for Wales, Jo Stevens, said people should ask why Sunak and Javid had backed the prime minister for so long.

She said: "They knew he was dishonest.

"They knew he lied to and mocked the public's sacrifices during the pandemic, and they were complicit in all the sleaze, scandal and incompetence that is the hallmark of this disgraceful government.

"Boris Johnson has disgraced his office and the country. The public deserve a fresh start and a new government."