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List of departures from the second Johnson ministry

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Prime Minister Boris Johnson chairs meetings of the Cabinet.

This is a list of resignations from the second government formed by Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Between forming a government on 13 December 2019 after the 2019 general election and his eventual resignation amid a government crisis, Johnson faced the resignation of 10 cabinet ministers (one of whom resigned on two separate occasions) and 3 ministers 'attending cabinet'. This list omits ministers who were invited to leave the government during the 2020, 2021, or 2022 cabinet reshuffles. It also excludes all ministers who resigned during the previous government formed by Johnson.

2020

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Minister

(Cabinet members shown in bold)

Office Date of resignation Reason
Rt Hon Sajid Javid MP Chancellor of the Exchequer 13 February Refused to dismiss his advisers during the 2020 cabinet reshuffle.[1]
Rt Hon Jake Berry MP Minister of State for the Northern Powerhouse and Local Growth 13 February Refused to accept a new position during the 2020 cabinet reshuffle.[2]
Rt Hon Conor Burns MP Minister of State for Trade Policy 4 May Standards Committee found that he had used his position to intimidate a member of the public.[3]
Douglas Ross MP Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Scotland 26 May Discontented with Dominic Cummings' explanation for breaching the government's restrictions on travel during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom.[4]
Rt Hon Anne-Marie Trevelyan MP Secretary of State for International Development 2 September Department abolished.[5]
Simon Clarke MP Minister of State for Regional Growth and Local Government 8 September Personal reasons.[6]
The Lord Keen of Elie QC PC Advocate General for Scotland 16 September Concerns arising from the Internal Market Bill.[7]
Chris Green MP Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Department for Education 13 October Opposed the government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.[8]
Caroline Ansell MP Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 22 October Defied government whip on free school meals.[9]
Rt Hon The Baroness Sugg CBE Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Overseas Territories and Sustainable Development 25 November Opposed the announcement of cuts to the overseas aid budget.[10]

2021

[edit]
Minister

(Cabinet members shown in bold)

Office Date of resignation Reason
Kelly Tolhurst MP Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Housing and Rough Sleeping 16 January Personal reasons.[11]
Johnny Mercer MP Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence People and Veterans 20 April Expressed frustration that the Overseas Operations Bill did not include legal protections for British soldiers that served in Northern Ireland during the Troubles. It has been reported that Mercer was sacked by Johnson.[12]
Rt Hon Matt Hancock MP Secretary of State for Health and Social Care 26 June Breaching social distancing guidelines after he was revealed to be having an affair with his aide and departmental Non-Executive Director Gina Coladangelo.[13]
Rt Hon James Brokenshire MP Minister of State for Security 7 July Health reasons; surgery on a lung tumor.[14]
Rt Hon The Lord Frost CMG PC Minister of State for the Cabinet Office 18 December Opposition to "COVID Plan B" and the political direction of the government.[15]

2022

[edit]
Minister

(Cabinet members shown in bold)

Office Date of resignation Reason
Rt Hon The Lord Agnew of Oulton DL Minister of State for Efficiency and Transformation 24 January Unable to defend the government's track record on tackling fraud in Covid business schemes.[16]
Angela Richardson MP Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities 31 January Criticised Boris Johnson for his mishandling of the partygate affair.[17]
Rt Hon The Lord Wolfson of Tredegar QC Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice 13 April Accused Boris Johnson of undermining the rule of law, following his decision not to resign in response to criminal sanctions imposed on him by the Metropolitan Police.[18]
Paul Holmes MP Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Home Office 27 May Concerns around "toxic culture" at the heart of government following the publication of the Sue Gray report.[19]
John Lamont MP Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office 6 June Resigned in order to vote against Boris Johnson in a vote of confidence as leader of the Conservative Party.[20]
Rt Hon Oliver Dowden CBE MP Chairman of the Conservative Party
Minister without Portfolio 		24 June Resigned over poor results at the Tiverton and Honiton and Wakefield by-elections.[21]
Rt Hon Chris Pincher MP Government Deputy Chief Whip
Treasurer of the Household 		30 June Reports that he drunkenly groped two men at the Carlton Club on 29 June.[22]
Rt Hon Sajid Javid MP Secretary of State for Health and Social Care 5 July
Main article: July 2022 United Kingdom government crisis
An historic mass resignation (the largest number of ministerial resignations in a 24-hour period, more than tripling the previous record of 11 resignations, set in 1932 during the 2nd National Government),[23] following a statement by the Prime Minister, in which he confirmed that he had been aware of sexual misconduct allegations against Chris Pincher before appointing him to the government.[24][a] This contributed to the resignation of Johnson as leader of the Conservative Party and later Prime Minister, with him replaced by Liz Truss as party leader on 5 September and as Prime Minister the following day.[25]
Rt Hon Rishi Sunak MP Chancellor of the Exchequer
Saqib Bhatti MBE MP Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Department for Health and Social Care
Jonathan Gullis MP Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Northern Ireland Office
Nicola Richards MP Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Department for Transport
Virginia Crosbie MP Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Office of the Secretary of State for Wales
Alex Chalk QC MP Solicitor General for England and Wales
Will Quince MP Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children and Families 6 July
Laura Trott MP Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Department for Transport
Robin Walker MP Minister of State for School Standards
John Glen MP Economic Secretary to the Treasury
Felicity Buchan MP Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
Victoria Atkins MP Minister of State for Prisons and Probation
Jo Churchill MP Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Agri-Innovation and Climate Adaption
Stuart Andrew MP Minister of State for Housing
Selaine Saxby MP Parliamentary Private Secretary to HM Treasury
David Johnston MP Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Department for Education
Claire Coutinho MP Parliamentary Private Secretary to HM Treasury
Lee Rowley MP Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business and Industry
Kemi Badenoch MP Minister of State for Local Government, Faith and Communities
Minister of State for Equalities
Neil O'Brien MP Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Levelling Up, The Union and Constitution
Alex Burghart MP Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Apprenticeships and Skills
Julia Lopez MP Minister of State for Media, Data, and Digital Infrastructure
Mims Davies MP Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Employment
Duncan Baker MP Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
Craig Williams MP Parliamentary Private Secretary to HM Treasury
Mark Logan MP Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Northern Ireland Office
Rachel Maclean MP Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Safeguarding
Mike Freer MP Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Exports
Mark Fletcher MP Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
Sara Britcliffe MP Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Department for Education
Ruth Edwards MP Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland
Peter Gibson MP Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Department for International Trade
James Sunderland MP Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Jacob Young MP Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
Rt Hon Michael Gove MP[a] Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
James Daly MP Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Department for Work and Pensions
Danny Kruger MBE MP Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
Rt Hon Simon Hart MP Secretary of State for Wales
Edward Argar MP Minister of State for Health
Gareth Davies MP Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Department of Health and Social Care
James Davies MP Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Department of Health and Social Care
Rt Hon Brandon Lewis CBE MP Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 7 July
Helen Whately MP Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury
Rt Hon Damian Hinds MP Minister of State for Security and Borders
George Freeman MP[b] Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Science, Research and Innovation
Guy Opperman MP Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Pensions and Financial Inclusion
Chris Philp MP Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Tech and the Digital Economy
James Cartlidge MP Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice
Rt Hon Michelle Donelan MP Secretary of State for Education
Rob Butler MP Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
Rebecca Pow MP[c] Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Nature Recovery and the Domestic Environment
Jack Brereton MP Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for International Trade
Fay Jones MP Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Leader of the House of Commons
Rt Hon The Lord Grimstone Minister of State for Investment Quit because Johnson had decided to leave Number 10 rather than fighting to remain in his post[28]
Rt Hon The Lord Greenhalgh Minister of State for Building Safety and Fire 8 July Stated "now that the die has been cast I have decided that this is the right time for me to resign" [29]
Lord Richard Harrington Official Portrait.jpg
 Rt Hon The Lord Harrington Minister of State for Refugees 4 September Resigned from government prior to the announcement of the result of the July–September 2022 Conservative Party leadership election[30]
Rt Hon Nigel Adams MP Minister of State without Portfolio 5 September Announced that they did not intend to serve in the incoming government[31]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ a b Michael Gove was sacked from his Cabinet Position of Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, after he urged the PM to resign in response to the crisis.
  2. ^ George Freeman's letter outlines not having confidence in the Prime Minister, but does not explicitly say that he has resigned.[26]
  3. ^ Pow's resignation letter was officially submitted after Johnson had announced his resignation. Pow later tweeted that, while she had informed the Prime Minister of her intention to resign prior to his announcement, she had been unable to submit her letter in person due to her self-isolating with coronavirus.[27]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Cabinet reshuffle: Sajid Javid resigns as chancellor". BBC News. 13 February 2020.
  2. ^ "Northern Powerhouse minister Jake Berry quits Government". North West. 13 February 2020.
  3. ^ "Minister resigns over 'veiled threats' in letter". BBC News. 4 May 2020. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
  4. ^ MP, Douglas Ross (26 May 2020). "I haven't commented publicly on the situation with Dominic Cummings as I have waited to hear the full details. I welcome the statement to clarify matters, but there remains aspects of the explanation which I have trouble with. As a result I have resigned as a government Minister.pic.twitter.com/6yXLyMzItJ". @Douglas4Moray. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
  5. ^ Walker, Jonathan (1 September 2020). "Berwick MP Anne-Marie Trevelyan entitled to £17,000 payout after Boris Johnson abolishes her job". Chronicle Live.
  6. ^ Clarke, Simon (8 September 2020). "With regret, I have decided to stand down from the Government for personal reasons. It has been an honour and a privilege and I hope to return to serve at a future opportunity". @SimonClarkeMP. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
  7. ^ "Lord Keen: Senior law officer quits over Brexit bill row". BBC News. 16 September 2020. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
  8. ^ "Bolton Conservative MP resigns from government position over handling of lockdown". Manchester Evening News. 13 October 2020.
  9. ^ "Conservative MP quits government job over free school meals". BBC News. 22 October 2020.
  10. ^ "Liz Sugg resigns as sustainable development minister over cut to aid spending". The Guardian. 25 November 2020. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  11. ^ "Conservative MP Kelly Tolhurst resigns as Housing Minister following 'devastating family news'". The Telegraph. 16 January 2021.
  12. ^ Kate Proctor (20 April 2021). "Veterans Minister Johnny Mercer Quits Government Claiming It Has "Abandoned" Soldiers Who Served In Northern Ireland". PoliticsHome.
  13. ^ "Matt Hancock quits as health secretary after breaking social distance guidance". BBC News. 26 June 2021. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
  14. ^ "James Brokenshire steps back from ministerial role for cancer surgery". BBC News. 11 January 2021. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
  15. ^ "Brexit minister Lord Frost resigns over Covid plan B measures". The Guardian. 18 December 2021.
  16. ^ Payne, Sebastian; Thomas, Daniel (2022-01-24). "UK anti-fraud minister quits over 'lamentable' Covid loan oversight". Financial Times. Retrieved 2022-01-24.
  17. ^ "Tory MP warns he no longer supports Boris Johnson during stormy Commons session". London Evening Standard. 31 January 2022.
  18. ^ "My letter to the Prime Minister today". Twitter. Retrieved 2022-04-13.
  19. ^ Correspondent, Dan Falvey-Political (2022-05-27). "Boris rattled as frontbencher RESIGNS over Partygate - 'Tarnished by toxic culture'". Express.co.uk. Retrieved 2022-05-27. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  20. ^ "Tonight, I have voted against the Prime Minister in the Vote of Confidence". Twitter. Retrieved 2022-06-06.
  21. ^ "My letter of resignation to the Prime Minister". Twitter. Retrieved 2022-06-24.
  22. ^ Jessica Elgot; Rowena Mason; Aubrey Allegretti (30 June 2022). "Tory deputy chief whip resigns after 'drunkenly groping two men'". The Guardian.
  23. ^ Turner, Camilla (6 July 2022). "Boris Johnson suffers most ministerial resignations in 24 hours since 1932". The Telegraph. Retrieved 6 July 2022.
  24. ^ Heather Stewart (5 July 2022). "Sajid Javid and Rishi Sunak quit – throwing Boris Johnson's future into doubt". The Guardian.
  25. ^ "Prime Minister Liz Truss's statement: 6 September 2022". Gov.UK. HM Government. 6 September 2022. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
  26. ^ "Enough is enough. This can't go on". Twitter. Retrieved 2022-07-07.
  27. ^ Scancariello, Antonio (7 July 2022). "Taunton MP Rebecca Pow resigns as Environment Minister". Somerset County Gazette. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  28. ^ "Johnson ally Lord Grimstone quits role as investment minister". Sky News. Retrieved 2022-07-10.
  29. ^ Stephen Greenhalgh [@team_greenhalgh] (8 July 2022). "Today I resigned as Building Safety and Fire Minister. Here is my letter to ⁦@BorisJohnson" (Tweet). Retrieved 8 July 2022 – via Twitter.
  30. ^ "Ukrainian refugee minister Lord Harrington quits before PM change". BBC News. 2022-09-04. Retrieved 2022-09-05.
  31. ^ Learmonth, Andrew (5 September 2022). "Two cabinet ministers resign ahead of Liz Truss becoming Prime Minister". The Herald. Retrieved 5 September 2022.
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