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LAST UPDATE | 6 Jul 2022
BORIS JOHNSON HAS been fighting for his political survival after a deeply damaging day of resignations.
The UK prime minister rejected calls from Cabinet colleagues to quit despite support for his leadership collapsing.
Home Secretary Priti Patel, Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis and Welsh Secretary Simon Hart were among the Cabinet ministers telling Johnson to stand down.
The prime minister subsequently sacked prominent Cabinet member Michael Gove.
The Conservative leader earlier faced a mutinous atmosphere in the House of Commons, a grilling at Westminster’s powerful Liaison Committee and a host of resignations.
A deluge of government ministers quit their posts as many MPs sought to distance themselves from the embattled prime minister.
It comes after a dramatic 24 hours that saw two of his highest profile ministers quit, triggering what many commentators believe is the beginning of the end of his premiership.
Two more Tory politicians have resigned in the last half hour: John Glen, the MP for Salisbury, and Kensington’s Felicity Buchan.
With deep regret I am resigning from the government.
I will not be doing media interviews regarding this. pic.twitter.com/IT0C50g8My— John Glen MP (@JohnGlenUK) July 6, 2022
It is with great sadness that I have tendered my resignation today as a Parliamentary Private Secretary in the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. Please find my resignation letter below. pic.twitter.com/SbBqNGO5Pn
— Felicity Buchan MP (@FelicityBuchan) July 6, 2022
Ipswich Conservative MP Tom Hunt has submitted a letter of no confidence in the Prime Minister and called for him to resign, saying “events of the past week have been the straw that has broken the camel’s back”.
He said in a Facebook post: “I have come to the conclusion, like a large number of my colleagues, that it’s in the best interests of my constituents, the country and the Conservative Party for the Prime Minister to step down.
“A continuation of the status quo cannot continue and, regretfully, I believe that the Prime Minister’s tenure in office has run its course.”
Victoria Atkins, the Home Office Minister, has also just resigned.
She posted a resignation letter on Twitter.
There’s a gaggle of press outside 10 Downing St.
Johnson is due to face Prime Minister’s Questions at noon.
Johnson has just left Downing Street and got straight into his car – he ignored the flurry of questions from waiting journalists.
The Daily Mail reporting that the 1922 Committee – comprised of Tory backbenchers – is making contingency plans for a leadership contest next week
Tory source says 1922 Committee drawing up contingency plans for leadership hustings to start as soon as Monday. Would allow time to complete run-off before recess, with Tory members voting on the final two in August. But would require the PM to be gone this week…
— Jason Groves (@JasonGroves1) July 6, 2022
The House of Commons is filling up for Prime Minister’s Questions.
Johnson starts speaking in the House of Commons: ‘Today is a big day.’
He goes on to describe cost-cutting measures being brought in.
He also wishes England and Northern Ireland luck in the women’s Euros.
He offhandedly remarks he will have ‘many’ meetings today, rousing the house.
Labour leader Keir Starmer is up.
He reads a testimony from a victim of Chris Pincher and blasts Johnson for knowing about his conduct and ‘promoting him to a position of power anyway’.
Jo Churchill has just resigned as a minister at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
In a tweet she said: “It is with a heavy heart that I have this morning tendered my resignation to the Prime Minister. I will not be doing media interviews on this matter.”
Starmer lists some of the controversies Johnson has faced during his tenure, remarking that by quitting now, senior government members are ‘rats’ running from a sinking ship.
Johnson retorts with Starmer’s voting record on crime, and his role in the ‘Beergate‘ controversy.
‘What a pathetic spectacle,’ Starmer responds
‘The only way the country can get the fresh start it deserves is by getting rid of the lot of them,’ says Starmer.
He says change at the top isn’t enough.
Johnson says Labour doesn’t have a plan, the Tories do – having to raise his voice over boos and ruckus in the chamber.
SNP leader in the House of Commons Ian Blackford likens Johnson to the dead parrot from Monty Python.
‘The job of a prime minister in difficult circumstances … is to keep going,’ Johnson says when asked if there were any circumstances in which he would resign.
Johnson has vowed not to resign, it seems, but his fate may lie in the hands of the 1922 committee.
The Committee – the parliamentary group of Tory backbench MPs who are not ministers or ministerial aides – is due to elect a new 18-member executive committee.
Crucially, they have a key role to play in leadership elections, including determining the rules by which a sitting leader can be challenged.
What do the rules say at the moment?
The leader must face a vote of confidence if 15% of the parliamentary party write to the committee chairman calling for one.
If the leader survives, however, there cannot be another confidence vote for 12 months – which should mean Mr Johnson is safe until June next year.
However, that could all change if the new executive votes to re-write the existing rules.
Here are some of the early potential frontrunners to replace Johnson as Prime Minister, if he does go:
Jeremy Hunt
The former foreign secretary and ex-health secretary has been a persistent backbench critic of Mr Johnson and has called on the Prime Minister to quit.
Mr Hunt is widely expected to make a fresh bid for the leadership if there is a contest, having been runner-up to Mr Johnson in 2019, and is among the early favourites with bookmakers.
Sajid Javid
Along with Chancellor Rishi Sunak, Mr Javid’s resignation on Tuesday caused chaos in Number 10, as the Health Secretary from famously humble beginnings left the Government.
Mr Javid made it to the final four in the contest to replace Theresa May as Tory leader in 2019, but dropped out and subsequently endorsed Mr Johnson.
Penny Mordaunt
Another frontrunner with the bookies, Ms Mordaunt made waves in 2019 as the UK’s first female defence secretary before being fired by Mr Johnson shortly after becoming PM.
Ms Mordaunt has many strings to her bow – she is a Royal Navy reservist, the current trade minister and a former reality television contestant, having appeared on the Tom Daley-fronted diving show Splash.
Rishi Sunak
The former Chancellor’s calm and measured delivery during televised Covid briefings, and his viral declaration of love for a popular soft drink, will have endeared him to those perhaps not always plugged in to the political goings-on, as well as his resignation on matters of principle on Tuesday.
But his stock took a tumble more recently following disclosures that his wife had non-dom status for tax purposes, and that he was too slow to respond to the cost-of-living crisis.
Liz Truss
The Foreign Secretary has made little secret of her leadership ambitions, with a series of high-profile interventions and photo opportunities in which she appeared to be channelling late PM Margaret Thatcher.
Her hard line on Ukraine, insisting Russian forces must be driven from the country, and threats to tear up the Northern Ireland Protocol with the EU, play well with sections of the party.
Tom Tugendhat
The polyglot chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee became the first to announce his intention to stand for leader should Mr Johnson be turfed out – with his declaration made in January.
A Remainer in 2016, the former soldier has been a trenchant critic of Mr Johnson – a stance that would appear to have cost him any chance of ministerial preferment under the current leadership.
He recently sought to distance himself from a call by his fellow Remainer, Defence Committee chairman Tobias Ellwood, for the UK to rejoin the EU single market.
Ben Wallace
The Defence Secretary has won admirers in Westminster for his straight-talking and straightforward approach, particularly among Tory MPs who pressed for the UK to increase its defence spending, although cuts to the size of the Army remain a cause for concern.
Mr Wallace, who served in the Scots Guards, remains a key voice in the UK’s response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and this increased exposure could assist any leadership bid.
He has consistently supported Mr Johnson, but has pressed the case for increased defence spending.
Nadhim Zahawi
The former education secretary is regarded by some as a “safe pair of hands” if other candidates prove too divisive – indeed he was the man trusted to take on the broadcast round of interviews on Wednesday morning, on his first full day in his new job as Chancellor.
Iraqi-born Mr Zahawi was a successful businessman and came to wider prominence as vaccines minister during the pandemic where he was credited with playing a key part in the successful rollout of the jab.
Current affairs are peppered into the questions, with Johnson’s future dominating the discussion.
But he’s not getting off easy with bread-and-butter issues: he dismissed a question over reports that he wanted to build an expensive treehouse in the grounds of Chequers as “fantasy”.
Labour MP Matt Western stressed that public-sector workers like teachers and nurses were struggling on current salaries.
He said: “They, and indeed working people everywhere, are struggling to pay their rents and their mortgages. Given they can barely afford a £150,000 mortgage on a new home, can he tell this House how he can afford a £150,000 treehouse?”
Johnson replied: “What I can tell him is that up and down the country, rather than talking about fantasy infrastructure, I can tell him about real infrastructure, we are helping to unite and level up the people of this country with £650 billion of investment.”
Sajid Javid is up now for a personal statement.
He insists he is ‘not one of life’s quitters’.
‘There is so much I planned for the long term.’
But ‘institutions and integrity’ come first today.
‘I am instinctively a team player … treading the tightrope between loyalty and integrity has become impossible in recent months.’
Meanwhile, another one bites the dust.
It is with sadness that I am resigning as Housing Minister.
I pay tribute to all my ministerial colleagues, officials, and civil servants in the Department and the wider sector.
I look forward to continuing to serve my constituents in Pudsey, Horsforth, and Aireborough. pic.twitter.com/wTnrr9rcSu
— Stuart Andrew (@StuartAndrew) July 6, 2022
‘In recent years, trust in our roles has been undermined through a series of scandals.’
As the speaker of the house wraps up, someone in the chamber merrily shouts: ‘Bye, Boris!’
A few voices echo them.
A total of 18 MPs have handed in their resignations in the past 24 hours:
1. Sajid Javid, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
2. Rishi Sunak, Chancellor of the Exchequer
3. Andrew Murrison, trade envoy to Morocco
4. Bim Afolami, Conservative Party vice-chairman
5. Saqib Bhatti, parliamentary private secretary at the Department of Health and Social Care
6. Jonathan Gullis, parliamentary private secretary at the Northern Ireland Office
7. Nicola Richards, parliamentary private secretary at the Department for Transport
8. Virginia Crosbie, parliamentary private secretary at the Welsh Office
9. Theo Clarke, trade envoy to Kenya
10. Alex Chalk, Solicitor General
11. Laura Trott, parliamentary private secretary at the Department for Transport
12. Will Quince, parliamentary under-secretary of state for children and families at the Department for Education
13. Robin Walker, minister of state for school standards at the Department for Education
14. Felicity Buchan, parliamentary private secretary at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
15. John Glen, minister of state at the Treasury
16. Victoria Atkins, minister of state for prisons and probation at the Ministry of Justice
17. Jo Churchill, parliamentary under-secretary of state at the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
18. Stuart Andrew, minister of state for housing at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities
From Sky News:
NEW: As expected, No 10 confirms Johnson will fight any new confidence. Downing Street says PM still believes he has the support of the majority of Tory MPs
— Beth Rigby (@BethRigby) July 6, 2022
Johnson is also confident he will be able to fill the posts of all the ministers and parliamentary aides who have resigned, his press secretary said.
“There will be further appointments over the coming days,” she said.
Since Johnson took over as Prime Minister three years ago, there have been 41 departures from government.
The equivalent figure for the whole of Theresa May’s premiership was 52.
Johnson’s net support is at his lowest point since beginning his tenure.
More rumblings about a Conservative leadership contest:
Leadership contenders certainly getting ready on Tory side- know of at least one MP who held a campaign meeting this morning in preparation.
— Anushka Asthana (@AnushkaAsthana) July 6, 2022
The number of resignations in the past 24-hours has now climbed to 21 after Selanie Saxby quit as a ministerial aide.
The MP tweeted her resignation letter adding that “with much regret” she “can no longer continue” in her role as a parliamentary private secretary.
With much regret I can no longer continue in my present role as PPS pic.twitter.com/7R24W1P3bx
— Selaine Saxby MP (@SelaineSaxby) July 6, 2022
Another former Johnson loyalist has cut ties with the prime minister.
This time it’s former Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick, who previously stuck by the Tory leader despite being booted from Cabinet (due to a controversy about unlawful approval of a luxury housing development).
“I have come to the conclusion that the country would be best served by new leadership,” Jenrick said.
The flood of MPs distancing themselves from Boris continues unabated.
MP for East Devon Simon Jupp has now called on Johnson to resign for the first time.
In a letter posted to Twitter, he said: “The current situation is a grotesque distraction from the many challenges we face as a nation.
“I cannot tolerate this any longer…in order to restore trust in the highest office of the land, the Prime Minister must do the decent thing and resign.”
An open letter to the people of East Devon. pic.twitter.com/JscKSy7LVv
— Simon Jupp MP (@simonjamesjupp) July 6, 2022
Five more ministers quit
Another massive blow for Boris Johnson as five additional government ministers have now resigned in one fell swoop.
NEW: Five government ministers have quit en mass. We have reached the end folks pic.twitter.com/M2n5oFaF2H
— Sebastian Payne (@SebastianEPayne) July 6, 2022
Hot on the heels of the group of five announcing that they had quit, employment minister Mims Davies has now also handed in her resignation.
I have tended my resignation from from the government from a role I have cherished for the last three years. I thank everyone @DWP from bottom of my heart for all their work, friendship & support. But @Conservatives needs a fresh start & I can see no other way forward than this pic.twitter.com/7b2unhpUO3
— Mims Davies MP #KICKSTART #PLANFORJOBS #WAYTOWORK (@mimsdavies) July 6, 2022
Here’s some further information on the five non-Cabinet ministers that resigned as a group in recent minutes.
They were Kemi Badenoch, Neil O’Brien, Alex Burghart, Lee Rowley and Julia Lopez.
Lopez was a culture minister.
Rowley was a business minister.
Burghart was an education minister.
O’Brien was a levelling up minister.
Badenoch was a local government minister.
With great regret, I resigned from the government this morning. It has been an honour being Equalities and Local Government minister. It was a privilege to have worked with so many great ministerial colleagues and civil servants in these roles. pic.twitter.com/XkNfnzjQVX
— Kemi Badenoch (@KemiBadenoch) July 6, 2022
Cabinet minister Michael Gove has reportedly told the Prime Minister he must step down.
The Daily Mail reported that the Levelling Up Secretary delivered the message at a meeting on Wednesday morning, citing sources.
The newspaper said a spokesman for Mr Gove did not dispute this.
A number of Tory backbenchers including have requested a new vote of confidence in Mr Johnson’s leadership and asked him to resign.
Andrew Bowie, MP for West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine, wrote on Twitter: “Three weeks ago I said, despite my vote, we needed to focus on the issues facing the country, not internal fights in the Party… But Government is not functioning.”
Nickie Aiken, MP for Cities of London and Westminster, wrote in a letter: “It is clear that trust in both the Government, the Conservative Party and politics more widely has been seriously damaged.”
Newcastle-under-Lyme MP Aaron Bell tweeted: “Last month I gave the Prime Minister ‘time and space’ to turn the situation around after the vote of no confidence… but things have only got worse, with No 10 continuing to try to lie their way out of difficult situations.”
Anna Firth, the MP for Southend West, said: “Following the recent revelations, I am very sad to say that I can no longer support Boris Johnson as Prime Minister.
“I had hoped to see a fundamental change in leadership style, but sadly this has not happened.”
Northampton South MP Andrew Lewer said the five ministers who sent their resignation letters together are “five of the most talented people in the whole Government”, adding on Twitter: “The PM must resign.”
Johnson is facing questions from MPs on the Liaison Committee, which meets twice a year.
It considers general matters relating to the work of other committees – its members comprise the chairs of the 32 Commons select committee and one joint committee.
It’s the only Commons committee that questions the prime minister.
Johnson will today give evidence on matters of public policy.
From Bloomberg:
New: Further Cabinet resignations will follow if Boris Johnson ignores a request by Conservative party grandees to resign, per three people familiar
Gove, Coffey tipped to go if PM won’t fall on swordhttps://t.co/dxb6484AEM pic.twitter.com/aX0ZzrMOJg— Alex Wickham (@alexwickham) July 6, 2022
Johnson is currently being grilled on the UK’s role in the war in Ukraine
surreal watching Boris Johnson holding forth on grain in the Bosphorus right now when he may be gone in hours or days
— Jim Pickard (@PickardJE) July 6, 2022
Another resignation:
Duncan Baker has quit as a parliamentary private secretary in the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.
In a statement on Facebook, the MP for North Norfolk said: “As I said just a couple of weeks ago, we must not dismiss the by election results as ‘mid term’ blues. They were not and they were a clear indicator of how the country feels.
“The breakdown in trust from the last six months is abundantly clear. The latest situation to unfold regarding Chris Pincher only compounds those feelings, with many now recognising the situation is clearly unsustainable.”
It has been a privilege to be a PPS for a short term in the DLUHC department and steer important reforms through for not just my constituency but the wider country.
My statement on the situation can be seen on my Facebook page here. https://t.co/8dJWwg1jbN pic.twitter.com/3RACNUikp7— Duncan Baker (@duncancbaker) July 6, 2022
Parliamentary private secretaries are MPs who act as assistants to a minister or shadow minister.
They’re junior to Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State, which ministerial roles.
Under-secretaries of state are junior to Ministers of State, which in turn are below Secretaries of State.
Two more parliamentary private secretaries have quit: Craig Williams, MP for Montgomeryshire and Fay Jones of Brecon and Radnorshire.
Williams is PPS to the Chancellor. Jones is PPS to Mark Spencer, the leader of the House of Commons, if Boris Johnson is still Prime Minister on Thursday.
In her letter to Mr Spencer, Ms Jones wrote: “It is with deep regret that I urge you to press the Prime Minister to go. I have drafted this letter a number of times; after the vote to protect Owen Paterson and when the full extent of Partygate revelations became clear.
“Despite my anger at the Prime Minister’s handling of those events, in January, I believed his promise to deliver a change of culture in 10 Downing Street, and I fully believed he could do it. It is clear to me now that my faith in him was miscalculated.
“While his support of President Zelensky and the people of Ukraine has been faultless, and he deserves enormous credit for delivering Brexit and spearheading the vaccine rollout, recent days confirm to me that there is a deep erosion of trust and decency at the heart of Government.
Sir Robert Buckland, who has until now stuck by Boris Johnson despite reservations, calls on him to quit.
He tells @Telegraph that 1922 committee chair Sir Graham Brady has “instruments of torture” ready to help persuade the PM to go.— Pippa Crerar (@PippaCrerar) July 6, 2022
At the liaison committee, Johnson is asked whether he needs the permission of the Queen to call a general election, or if he simply informs here that one will be held.
Johnson avoids the question, saying he doesn’t think anyone wants an election.
‘Are you having a lapse in memory again?’, another committee member asks Johnson when he says he doesn’t remember meeting Russian oligarch Alexander Lebedev.
Another PPS has resigned:
With immediate effect pic.twitter.com/TedjPocHnA
— Mark Logan MP (@Mark_Logan_MP) July 6, 2022
Logan is a PPA in the Northern Ireland Office.
Home Office minister Rachel Maclean has announced she is resigning, saying Boris Johnson must go “for the good of the country and our party”.
With deep regret I am resigning as Minister for Safeguarding. It remains the greatest honour of my life to represent Redditch in Parliament and I will continue to support the policies which I was re-elected to deliver from the backbenches. pic.twitter.com/rSaWHEBdBf
— Rachel Maclean MP (@redditchrachel) July 6, 2022
Johnson is asked: ‘Will you be prime minister tomorrow?’
‘Of course,’ he says.
‘Next week?’
Johnson doesn’t give a straight answer.
My statement on the Prime Minister: pic.twitter.com/ItT8zUCEgp
— Huw Merriman MP (@HuwMerriman) July 6, 2022
Question to Johnson: ‘How’s your week going?’
Johnson: ‘Terrific.’
He’s asked if Michael Gove told him to step down, as reported by the Mail. He does not answer.
Stoke-on-Trent Central MP Jo Gideon also says she has withdrawn her support for Johnson.
‘Although I came to this conclusion two months ago, I did not publicise my stance in order to ensure that I could continue to press the government to deliver the best for Stoke-on-Trent central.
‘The appalling circumstances surrounding the resignation of the former Deputy Chief Whip seriously call into question again the judgement of the Prime Minister, who not only appointed him to a role where he had direct responsibility for the pastoral care of colleagues, but also sought to justify it.’
Enough is enough. It’s time to move forward. Please see my statement below. pic.twitter.com/rLtWuHnwHd
— Jo Gideon MP (@jogideon) July 6, 2022
Johnson repeats sentiments he expressed in the House of Commons, that it would be irresponsible to walk away from his mandate.
He was responding to a question about whether his continuing tenure in 10 Downing St is in the UK’s best interests.
Welsh Affairs Select Committee chairman Stephen Crabb told the Liaison Committee: “Do you accept, Prime Minister, and forgive me for asking, at a time of such economic crisis for the country, for many families up and down the country, that what the country needs is a Government with the very best team, the very best of focus, absolutely squarely focused on tackling these issues and when you see, Prime Minister, people like John Glen, leaving Government, people like Kemi Badenoch, people like Neil O’Brien, one of the intellectual architects of levelling up, do you not feel Prime Minister the very ability, capacity of this Government to address these enormous overhanging issues is deteriorating as we speak?”
Johnson replied: “The Government is certainly focusing on the issues that matter, and today we are cutting taxes for everybody, about £330 for 30 million people.”
Mike Freer has quit as minister for exports and minister for equalities, telling Boris Johnson “I can no longer defend policies I fundamentally disagree with”.
‘How important is the truth to you, Prime Minister?’
‘Very important.’
In his letter resigning as minister for exports and equalities, Mike Freer cited “an atmosphere of hostility for LGBT+ people”.
“I have been grateful for the opportunity to create focus in exploiting our new exports markets and in working to try and improve the lives of LGBT+ people in the UK. I would also like to thank you for your personal support on many local issues since your days as Mayor of London but, also more personally in your support with my recent security issues.
“However, I feel that we are moving away from the One Nation Conservative party joined, not least in creating an atmosphere of hostility for LGBT+ people and I regret can no longer defend policies I fundamentally disagree with.
Dr Neil Hudson, MP for Penrith and The Border, having previously voted no confidence in the Prime Minister, has called for Johnson’s resignation
“As I stated following that vote, I had sincerely hoped that the Prime Minister and the Cabinet would reflect on this result closely and act accordingly.
“Unfortunately, since this vote, news has since come to light of allegations of serious misconduct by the then deputy chief whip, and the subsequent knowledge of the Prime Minister prior to his appointment to the position. I want to make clear that as I have said previously on matters relating to the Prime Minister, I will not defend the indefensible.
“I hope that following these further developments, the Prime Minister will take the right and moral step and resign. However, if this is not forthcoming, then I believe it would be an appropriate step for the Parliamentary Party to facilitate another vote of confidence.”
The BBC is reporting that a group of Cabinet ministers are about to tell Johnson to resign.
New: A group of cabinet ministers are about to tell the PM to resign in No10, including the chief whip, the BBC understands. Simon Hart is also one of them. He made it clear to No10 yesterday that it was “game over” but it shouldn’t have to come by ministerial resignations.
— Ione Wells (@ionewells) July 6, 2022
Wales Secretary Simon Hart has entered Downing Street, as the slew of ministers’ and parliamentary secretaries’ resignations continues.
Another question on the Queen and an election. ‘You’re asking about something that is not going to happen.’
He says history shows that early elections bring ‘pointless political disturbance’.
**Nadhim Zahawi** is in the delegation of cabinet ministers about to tell the prime minister to go, I’m told
— Henry Zeffman (@hzeffman) July 6, 2022
According to the BBC, Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps and Chief Whip Chris Heaton-Harris are all to join a delegation telling Johnson to resign.
Committee now telling Johnson about the delegation.
Flustered, Johnson says to ask about what the government is doing to tackle the cost of living or environmental issue.
He says again he will not give a ‘running commentary’ on his future in Downing St.
Another PPS resignation
It is with a heavy heart that I’ve given my resignation as PPS in a Department I love, Education. This Government has achieved so much start delivering on levelling up in Hyndburn and Haslingden. But, this self-inflicted crisis risks undoing all of that. It’s time to draw a line. pic.twitter.com/DQLosYplJf
— Sara Britcliffe MP (@SarBritcliffeMP) July 6, 2022
Shadow Cabinet Office minister Conor McGinn said he understood the Government has adjourned or “effectively cancelled” committee hearings organised for Thursday to consider legislation before Parliament as they are “unable to provide ministers”.
Raising a point of order, he told the Commons: “It seems very much to me that this is a Government that has ceased in its ability to govern.”
International Trade Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan has arrived at Downing Street.
She broke into a run upon getting out of the car to go through the door of Number 10.
Hearing the 1922 rules have now officially been changed
— Noa Hoffman (@hoffman_noa) July 6, 2022
Johnson being asked by the Liaison Committee to confirm he will not seek a dissolution of parliament (and therefore a general election) if he has to resign.
Liaison Committee has now ended. Eight MPs resigned from government during the meeting.
Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng has also lost confidence in the Prime Minister, according to the Financial Times, and has told the Chief Whip.
Home Secretary Priti Patel has arrived at Downing Street via the side entrance.
Astonishingly it appears Michelle Donelan’s first act as Education Secretary is to join a coup against the man who appointed her less than 24 hours ago
— Tony Diver (@Tony_Diver) July 6, 2022
Another Tory MP says time’s up for Johnson – but he is adamant there should not be an election.
In a statement posted to Twitter, Shaun Bailey, the MP for West Bromwich West, said: ‘It is clear that it is in the interests of the country, of the Conservative Party and for my communities that we need fresh leadership.
‘A new leader is the only way in which we can win the next election and stop the travesty that would be a Labour government.
‘Labour have spent half a century neglecting my communities, I will not allow them the chance to do it again.’
Ruth Edwards, the Tory MP for Rushcliffe, has resigned as parliamentary private secretary at the Scottish Office, stating Boris Johnson’s Government “turned a blind eye to allegations of sexual assault within its own ranks”.
Boris Johnson has arrived at Downing Street via a back entrance.
The Prime Minister entered in a Range Rover shortly after 5pm.
Several Cabinet ministers in No 10 have their resignation letters in their pockets and ready to go
If the PM refuses to go the message is clear – they will resign themselves
It’s the final extraordinary standoff with the PM – surely no way he can survive this— Steven Swinford (@Steven_Swinford) July 6, 2022
The 1922 has voted to NOT change the rules. Instead they have expedited the committee election — nominations open now, vote on Monday.
— Adam Payne (@adampayne26) July 6, 2022
Another PPS resignation
My letter of resignation as PPS pic.twitter.com/y8gf3ZuYeb
— Peter Gibson MP (@Gibbo4Darlo) July 6, 2022
Hear Brandon Lewis’s flight is delayed by 90 mins at Belfast airport so suspect he might miss the DRAMA.
— Harry Cole (@MrHarryCole) July 6, 2022
Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries, a significant ally of Johnson’s, has arrived at Downing St.
Boris Johnson will be advised it would be “inappropriate” to seek a snap general election if there is a Tory leadership contest pending, a senior Conservative MP has told the PA news agency.
The MP, who did not want to be named, said senior officials would advise the Prime Minister that it would put the Queen in a “difficult position” if he requested a dissolution of Parliament.
When asked if the PM’s position was sustainable, Nadine Dorries told reporters on Downing Street: “It is.”
NEW from @IpsosUK:
— Keiran Pedley (@keiranpedley) July 6, 2022
- 2 in 3 lack confidence in the govt to run the country properly, seriously & with integrity
- 2 in 3 lack confidence in govt to run the country with integrity https://t.co/8v3kmEflER pic.twitter.com/v5C3gJuCrK
New polling from Ipsos UK said six in ten people support Johnson resigning as Prime Minister.
This includes half of people interviewed who voted Conservative in the 2019 election.
Two-thirds of people said they lack confidence in the government to run the country properly.
UK political journalists are now saying that Graham Brady is in the Cabinet office and is expected to see Johnson shortly.
Brady is chairman of the 1922 Committee.
The committee – the parliamentary group of Tory backbench MPs who are not ministers or ministerial aides – is due to elect a new 18-member executive committee.
Crucially, they have a key role to play in leadership elections, including determining the rules by which a sitting leader can be challenged.
Two more Tory post resignations have come through in the last few minutes.
David Duguid has resigned as a trade envoy.
In a statement, he said: “In light of recent events, I believe the Prime Minister’s position is now untenable.
“Having indicated my concerns internally earlier this week, it is my intention to stand down from my position as Fisheries Envoy and Trade Envoy for Angola and Zambia.”
James Sunderland also resigned as parliamentary private secretary at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).
Sky News did the research and said Boris Johnson has suffered more resignations in one day than any UK prime minister in history.
Graham Brady spotted walking out of parliament by the Red Lion. May only be headed to one place… pic.twitter.com/YHxW0a7gq4
— Aubrey Allegretti (@breeallegretti) July 6, 2022
More information trickling in about Graham Brady, chairman of the Tory 1922 Committee, who was recently seen heading towards Downing Street.
He is thought to have entered via the side entrance on Whitehall rather than going through the famous black door of No 10.
His presence comes following a meeting of the Committee in Parliament where Tory MPs made their views known about the Prime Minister’s future.
Brady is the keeper of the letters submitted by Conservative MPs calling for the Prime Minister to go.
My colleague Jane Moore has put together a snapshot of the past week for Boris Johnson, leading up to the disastrous last 24 hours.
Read her piece if you want to catch up on the Chris Pincher controversy, Johnson’s apology and the two senior ministerial resignations that set the ball rolling.
Policing Minister Kit Malthouse, a ministerial ally of Boris Johnson, told reporters on his way out of Downing St that it has been a “difficult day”.
For anyone keeping track of Johnson’s remaining Tory allies, he seems to still have the backing of Jacob Rees-Mogg.
A source told PA that the Brexit Opportunities Minister, who is not in Number 10 with Johnson this evening, still supports the Prime Minister.
Leader of the Scottish Conservative Party Douglas Ross has said that “more and more” of his colleagues now agree that Boris Johnson should resign.
Ross told PA: “I said that, at the no confidence vote two or three weeks ago that I could not in good faith continue to have confidence in him and now we are seeing more and more colleagues have reached the same conclusion.”
Asked who he would back in a Tory leadership election, he said: “We will wait and see.”
On whether he would consider throwing his own hat into the ring, he smiled and said: “No definitely not.”
The Times is now reporting that UK Home Secretary Priti Patel, previously a Johnson supporter, has joined the group of ministers calling for the Prime Minister to leave his post.
EXCLUSIVE:
— Matt Dathan (@matt_dathan) July 6, 2022
Priti Patel has sided with the group of Cabinet ministers calling for PM to go
The home secretary - one of Johnson's most loyal supporters - believes there's no way he can continue to govern without the support of his party
She's joined Shapps and Gove NOT Dorries
Culture secretary Nadine Dorries remains firmly behind Johnson after the showdown in Downing Street this evening.
But the Guardian’s Peter Walker says she doesn’t look too happy.
Nadine Dorries leaves No 10. Says, ‘Oh yes!’ when asked if she supports Johnson still. But doesn’t look very cheery.
— Peter Walker (@peterwalker99) July 6, 2022
Boris is reportedly refusing to resign, arguing that his departure would result in an early election and defeat for the Tory party.
ITV’s Anushka Asthana reports that Johnson told Cabinet colleagues that it was a choice between summer focused on economic growth or chaos of a leadership contest.
Exc: told PM absolutely defiant and is not going to resign. Sources tell me he told Cabinet colleagues that it was a choice between summer focused on economic growth or chaos of a leadership contest- followed by massive pressure for general election 1/
— Anushka Asthana (@AnushkaAsthana) July 6, 2022
PA is now also reporting that Johnson is refusing to quit despite the calls from his Cabinet colleagues.
The news agency says the prime minister is insisting that he would continue to focus on the “hugely important issues facing the country”.
Jacob Young has now become the latest parliamentary private secretary (PPS) to resign.
The MP for Redcar and Cleveland called for Johnson to step aside to “allow the country to move forward”.
“Today you are failing to listen to those most loyal to you. It is out of that same loyalty that I urge you to now step aside, and allow the country to move forward,” Young wrote to the Tory leader.
I have agonised throughout today – I have supported the Prime Minister through thick and thin.
It’s because of my loyalty to him, that I urge him to now step aside and allow the country to move forward. pic.twitter.com/3pT7tlopTB
— Jacob Young MP (@JacobYoungMP) July 6, 2022
One parliamentary private secretary who isn’t resigning is James Duddridge.
Duddridge, who is a PPS for Johnson, has told Sky News: “The prime minister is in buoyant mood and will fight on. He has a 14 million mandate and so much to do for the county.”
Duddridge reportedly also said that Johnson is planning a joint announcement tomorrow with Nadhim Zahawi, the new chancellor.
“I expect him to make senior cabinet appointments this evening and am looking forward to hearing what the PM and his fantastic chancellor Nadhim Zahawi have to say tomorrow,” he said.
Change of plan.
Duddridge has now informed Sky News that the economic plan will be unveiled next week.
As the old adage goes, that’s a long time in politics.
Johnson sacks Gove
In another major development, Johnson has now reportedly sacked senior Cabinet member Michael Gove.
The news is being reported by the BBC, the Guardian and Sky News.
Gove – who was Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities – earlier privately urged Johnson to resign.
BREAKING: Michael Gove has been sacked
— Paul Brand (@PaulBrandITV) July 6, 2022
Hot on the heels of the Gove bombshell there’s another couple of resignations.
David Mundell tweeted that he has quit as UK Trade Envoy to New Zealand after he said he was “disappointed” Boris Johnson had not already stood down.
Meanwhile, James Daly has also stood down as a parliamentary private secretary.
I have tonight taken the decision to resign as a Parliamentary Private Secretary at the DWP. pic.twitter.com/H94irC62YL
— James Daly MP (@JamesDalyMP) July 6, 2022
Gove’s booting has prompted another PPS to quit.
Danny Kruger has said he is resigning as parliamentary private secretary in the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities – Gove’s former department.
The Devizes MP tweeted: “Very sorry indeed to hear @michaelgove has been fired by the PM.
“As I told No 10 earlier today it should be the PM leaving office. I am resigning as PPS at @Dluhc”.
Very sorry indeed to hear @michaelgove has been fired by the PM. As I told No 10 earlier today it should be the PM leaving office. I am resigning as PPS at @Dluhc.
— Danny Kruger (@danny__kruger) July 6, 2022
Johnson loyalist Nadine Dorries is standing firm.
The Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport has tweeted a message of support for the UK prime minister.
The PM’s priority is to stabilise the government, set a clear direction for the country and continue to deliver on the promises he made and the British public voted for.
— Nadine Dorries (@NadineDorries) July 6, 2022
The BBC’s Chris Mason has some background information on the sacking of Michael Gove.
A No 10 source described Gove as a “snake” who “gleefully” told the press that Johnson should resign.
‘You cannot have a snake who is not with you on any of the big arguments who then gleefully briefs the press that he has called for the leader to go. You cannot operate like that,’ a No10 source tells me
— Chris Mason (@ChrisMasonBBC) July 6, 2022
Johnson’s private parliamentary secretary James Duddridge has appeared on Sky News, expressing confidence that the UK leader will be able to appoint new ministers.
“There is plenty of talent within the party. I’m not going to go through the Cabinet reshuffle but I know that there are plenty of people keen, willing and able to serve and will do so under Boris Johnson,” Duddridge said.
Interesting spin coming out of No 10 suggesting that the raft of resignations is a good opportunity to slim down the government.
People can’t quit jobs they never had.
Always look on the bright side.
Senior No 10 source putting a positive spin on struggles to fill vacant ministerial posts:
— Chris Smyth (@Smyth_Chris) July 6, 2022
"Maybe this is a good opportunity to slim down government. We are focusing on delivering and the economy and this is an opportunity to do less better”
The situation has calmed down somewhat since Johnson sacked Michael Gove.
Here’s an early look at a couple of the UK front pages being finalised for tomorrow.
The Guardian has led with: ‘Desperate, deluded PM clings to power.’
Guardian front page, Thursday 7 July 2022: Desperate, deluded PM clings to power pic.twitter.com/RdOvmxwq2V
— Guardian news (@guardiannews) July 6, 2022
And the Daily Mirror says: ‘Just get exit done.’
Thursday's front page: Just get exit done#TomorrowsPapersTodayhttps://t.co/nZzXnsf7Ac pic.twitter.com/Au9NtnZp32
— The Mirror (@DailyMirror) July 6, 2022
Tonight I handed in my letter of resignation to the Chief Whip. pic.twitter.com/MccLho3kKk
— Simon Hart (@Simonhartmp) July 6, 2022
Simon Hart has resigned as Secretary of State for Wales, becoming the latest Cabinet minister to leave his post.
In his resignation letter, Hart said he “desperately hoped” he could have avoided writing it but “there seems no other option left”.
He said there was “never a dull moment” as minister in Johnson’s government.
“Colleagues have done their upmost in private and public to help you turn the ship around, but it is with sadness that I feel we have passed the point where this is possible,” Hart said.
Some more front pages rolling in.
The Daily Telegraph leads with: ‘Mortally wounded PM defies Cabinet demands that he quit.’
P1 tomorrow pic.twitter.com/vmCmZA850v
— Ben Riley-Smith (@benrileysmith) July 6, 2022
Sam Coates from Sky News reporting in the last couple of minutes that another Minister of State has handed in his resignation letter.
Edward Argar, Min of State for Health, said he was “honoured” to serve Johnson “loyally” as Prime Minister, but he believes “with regret, that it is now the time to consider the future”.
“In that context I fear that a change is needed in order for our Party to continue to deliver on our shared ambitions for our country,” Argar wrote.
Super loyalist Minister Ed Argar resigns pic.twitter.com/YcpUcNuolc
— Sam Coates Sky (@SamCoatesSky) July 6, 2022
EXCLUSIVE: Nadhim Zahawi has been secretly working with close allies of Sir Lynton Crosby on a Tory leadership bid for months. pic.twitter.com/6YpRTcHqcQ
— Geri Scott (@Geri_E_L_Scott) July 6, 2022
The front page of The Times reports that newly appointed UK Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi has been secretly working with allies of Lynton Crosby on a Tory leadership bid for months.
Crosby is an Australian political strategist who has worked on previous Conservative party campaigns.
The UK’s Attorney General Suella Braverman has said she will put her name forward for the Conservative leadership contest in future.
She said it “pains” her to say that “the time has come for the Prime Minster to step down”.
Speaking to ITV’s Peston programme, Braverman said it would be her “greatest honour” to serve as UK Prime Minister.
“I do think the time has come for the Prime Minister to step down”
— Peston (@itvpeston) July 6, 2022
Attorney General @SuellaBraverman calls on the Prime Minister to resign. #Peston pic.twitter.com/8yre3TAxgE
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The blood of 9 Protestant Civilians is on the hands of the British state. Their man planned the bomb, they warned the UDA to abandon their meeting, they rigged the bomb to explode prematurely before the IRA volunteer could clear the shop. This was done to suit the British agenda and weaken the IRA.
The silence from the Southern establishment media on these claims are deafening.
It doesn’t absolve the IRA of anything, it just makes the security forces equally as culpable.
When two people murder somebody, they are not charged with half a killing each.
The IRA didn’t bomb that chip shop on the Shankill, the British did.
I’ll write it again – a British agent planned the operation, the British security forces warned loyalists not to meet there, a British agent rigged the bomb to explode early killing everyone inside.
The Brits are culpable not just for the 10 deaths that day, but of the 14 Catholics killed in retaliation in the weeks following.
Funny that pira claimed responsibility for a bomb you say the brits were responsible for Eamonn
Yeah Joe.. Tis f#cking hilarious isn’t it…..
not really, just highlighting the stupidity of commentators here, like Eamonn among others.
The apologists and excuse makers (like yourself Rasputin) for murderers in the IRA or their loyalist counterparts in the UDA etc etc etc are equally as sickening and share in the responsibility as they create the space for this s(um to operate.
Wrong is wrong no matter which side of the community you grew up on
One British agent was involved in the organisation of the bomb, two guys brought the bomb in, others were involved in getting explosives, making the bomb and planning the operation.
Are you going to tell me the IRA was a secret British organistaion or something.
I’ll say it again, based on this evidence the security forces would appear to be complicit in the murder of people by the IRA, and therefore both are equally as busy.
Matty what evidence is there that “One British agent was involved in the organisation of the bomb”
I’ve heard speculation but I missed the evidence.
Well if you are to go by the article printed above it says:
“The newspaper states that it has seen classified documents that were stolen by the IRA during a break-in at the Castlereagh police complex in Northern Ireland on St Patrick’s Day 2002.”
@joesmith Of course the IRA claimed responsibility. And claimed it in the mistaken belief that the man who planned the attack was an IRA man when he was actually a british agent. Try to keep up.
SF/PIRA supporters claiming the PIRA bomb in a busy civilian shop in a Protestant area of Belfast had nothing to do with the Provos!
I thought they were proud of their “heroic struggle” waged against innocent civilians.
And Joe how exactly do you feel about our own government covering up/dragging their feet about the Dublin Monaghan bombings ?? Sitting in government with former OIRA members who recently dropped the former leader of RNU into the Seanad while howling blue murder at the “crimes” of SF?? You said you don’t like apologists for what happened during the troubles…. Well here’s your chance to sack up and criticise them too…
So basically the RUC got their Loyalist buddies out and then got one of their agents to rig the bomb to go off immediately in a crowded chipper full of civilians. Instead of arresting the bomber on the way or at the scene and saving lives the RUC allowed more innocent people to get killed on the day and in the aftermath. The PIRA shouldn’t have planted the bomb in a civilian are but the RUC shouldn’t have allowed them to do it either.
Brian if the IRA had not planted the bomb then there would be no need for the RUC to prevent it. The blame lies firat and foremost with the IRA s(um.
Jesus wept but that is the stupidest argument to try and absolve the RUC that I have ever heard and I thought that I have heard them all.
The RUC’s agent tells them of the bombing so they clear out their UDA buddies and get their man to jark the bomb so that it will go off and kill a load of innocent civilians instead of intercepting both bombers on route. But it is still totally all the PIRA’s fault!!! I suppose that the civilians actually threw themselves in front of the bullits on bloody sunday and children deliberatly headbutted plastic bullets that were being fired harmlessly into the air as well! Even Willie Frazer would blush if reads that line of crap.
“The PIRA shouldn’t have planted the bomb in a civilian area”.
That was PIRA/SF’s principal strategy!
A strategy you relentlessly defend with your vile cheerleading Ward.
Warrington, Enniskillen, Manchester, Birmingham, Guilford, Sligo….
@marylou The IRA planted the bomb under the command of someone who, it turned out, was a british agent. So in other words, we had a British agent commanding an IRA unit, who informed his RUC handlers of a plan to attack the johnny adair and other UDA members during their weekly meeting upstairs, and seemingly, the UDA then tipped off to stay clear of the area and the RUC allowing the bomb to go ahead killing nine people. And yet you still repratedly take exception to criticism of the RUC?
Diarmuid, maybe if you read this http://tiny.cc/gjql8x you will see where 3 different international experts on terrorisim explain how the bombing strategy of the PIRA shifted after the Bloody Friday bombings to targeted attacks on the security forces. This can also be found in many books written on PIRA strategy at the time. All of them are in direct contradiction to your “principal strategy ” assertion that the provos deliberately targeted civilians as a bombing strategy but then again what’s new?
Brian, your attempts to trivialise/condone PIRA’s targeting of civilians is pitiful.
The Belfast Brigades were infected with touts.. That’s why the South Armagh brigade were giving the job of Canary Wharf, which was expertly planned and carried out..
Yes expertly killing a couple of innocent people.
Reg, the 2 people who were killed were told by a policeman to get out of the area but they chose to stay behind and close up their shop instead. No one would have been killed if they hadn’t chosen to stupidly ignore the advice given to them and stayed behind while everyone else legged it.
Of course, it was their own fault. Silly me.
Sounds like you are proud of that
Reg I remember being caught up in 2 bomb alerts within the space of 3 hours in Belfast one day and I got the hell out of there as fast as I could. I didn’t decide to dawdle around and put my life in danger. There were very specific warnings given in canary Wharf and everyone else headed them but there is no account for human stupidity. They had their chance to run and live but chose not to. Unlike allegedly the people in the Shankill Road who were given no chance by the RUC or it’s agents.
The IRA could have chosen to turn Canary Wharf into Ground Zero had they wanted to.. They simply wanted to remind a British Establishment who were taking their foot off the gas what really was at stake..
Who knows.. Another few bombs in Britain like Canary Wharf and we would of had the Six Counties back by now..
Or been invaded… The campaign was designed to keep the pressure on while not starting “ww3″. That’s why aircraft or ferry’s were never targeted for example and at the time they would have been very easy to either bomb or hijack. While the campaign was brutal it was relatively reserved considering what the likes of the PLO got up to.
it was reserved to bombs in bins that killed kids, bombs in busy streets etc etc, (that police were responsible for not the bombers)
reserved as in only beat some young lads to death with iron bars and only beat some special needs kids with iron bars
Except, Joe, that “bombs in bins that killed kids” etc etc was not typical of the IRA campaign, as you well know. According to the book ‘Lost Lives’ which details every death in the conflict, over 75% of IRA victims were active participants in the conflict. A percentage significantly higher than for just about any armed group in any conflict that you care to mention, including the Old IRA. A significantly higer percentage again of IRA operations of all types were attacks on security force personnel and installations. So your attempts to characterise the entire campaign as “killing children” is pathetic, deceitful and downright disgusting.
Ah yeah “Sorry for murdering your children as they walked down a shopping street, but you will take comfort in the fact they are in the 25% of people we murder”.
Your moral equivocation is vile TEG.
Tir, from whats coming out lately it wouldn’t surprise me if that percentage rate would have been significantly higher without deliberate interference to make sure innocents were killed. Oh a Dermot, nice you to pop your head into a conversation at a time you know your usual dumb arguments won’t be pulled to bits…
Shinnertrolls a little sensitive?
Clearly don’t like being challenged for defending the murder of innocent men, women and children.
Clearly don’t like having their hypocrisy and moral repugnancy exposed for all to see.
@Rasputin
Ignore diarmuid. It’s the best way to deal with attention seekers. He will keep responding to your comments even more often than before, like a little dog clawing at your ankle desperately whining for just a little attention, but don’t even bother reading them.
Pathetic.
There are even worse claims going around about this incident at the moment. Nothing would surprise me in the dirty war that took place up north.
Worth noting that very few reports of those claims have been printed or reported on in Irish media… They’re going with the narrative that it was simply an informer… and not a British double agent protecting his UVF comrades at the expense of civilian lives…
Noble Irish media hold Irish catholic men forced to join a civilian army due to oppression murder and mental torture internment.against their communities to account. British minded noble orange men who spit on the Irish flag and burn effigys of Irish politicians who formed civilian paramilitary groups who killed Irish civilians for fun hatred who came down and bombed the Republic with the blessing of the mi5 and British war cabinet. are never held to account . Irish media like Irish politicians too afraid to question there betters just keep harking on about those they deem lower them . Look look under class Poddy is a bold serf for defending themselves. Noble Irish Media. I say old boy Noble.
No doubt you and your Blueshirts were delighted Johnny Adair and his friends were warned and survived to kill another day… But sure isn’t that all The Troubles are to you lot?? Something to make political jibes with across the Dail and to make jokes about to get the peanut gallery at FGHQ giggling…
Who knows Joe? Could also be a conspiracy theory or a ploy to discredit him, raise doubt, weaken support or trust for him and SF which would be to the advantage of a lot of people.
Gerry Adams carried the coffin of the PIRA terrorist who died planting the bomb.
@the journal
Don’t think I didn’t notice that you took down TIr Eoghain’s comment which a valid point and was completely within the rules What’s going on ?
This forum is a joke. Infested with IRA trolls and apologists who will literally twist any story about them in their favour. They should set up a unionist equivalent of TheJournal.ie up north for all the UVF and UDA apologists to come online and defend their heroes too.
What would have been nice during the troubles would have been to get a sealed courtyard with plenty of knives and guns, and tossed all the national and loyalist paramilitaries into it, and all their fanboys and apologists too while they were at it. They could have all killed each other off and made everyone else’s lives a lot easier and safer
So you believe in Hell. My definition of hell is having to read your ravings on a daily basis.
You are joking. Just because people have decided to take a stand against blatant lies being peddled for political point scoring ??? Any UDA/UDF member is perfectly entitled to set up an account and challenge anything what’s being said here.. FG/Lab supporters were told that their constant banging on about the the IRA in an effort to blacken their political rival.. SF would eventually come back to haunt them.. Here it is.. Personally I haven’t told one lie about The Troubles. I started correcting people on their deliberate obfuscation of which group was which and who was involved in what such as people saying that the IRA were involved in the McGuinness or the O’Grady kidnapping… They were using others grief for political scoring.. Sorry darling but the days of the Blueshirt lies are over and I guess you just can’t argue a way around that so now we’re “trolls or apologists”. Well too bad.
My reply to ML(ny)McD
Welcome to hell so.
and ?
Instead of tipping off the uda the so-called police should have arrested the uda members as well as the shop for owner’s for facilitating terrorist meetings.
The IRA were freedom fighters
Vast Majority were anyway
Good ‘non tax paying’ republican freedom fighters? Or good ‘tax paying’ freedom fighters?
Unelected, unappointed, unmandated, self-serving, sectarian gangsters who should be consigned to the dustbin of history.
Dermot.. Sounds like the unionists who controlled NI before being forced to play fair…
…or the vast majority of Irish people who rejected SF/PIRA terrorism for decades…
Sectarian? Poor old Diarmuid, still can’t accept that your “sectarian” jibes at the PIRA are groundless and pathetic. Like I asked you before but I know that you will need an adult to explain it to you again and again before it sinks in….
If the PIRA were sectarian why did it have 3 commanders in Belfast who were collectively nicknamed “the Prod Squad”?
If the PIRA were sectarian why did it have as it’s Chief of Staff, Ivor Bell who was a Protestant?
How many catholics were head of the UDA, of any Loyalist paramilitary group or were even a member of any Loyalist paramilitary group?
A few delusional “Prods” don’t hide the fact that PIRA/SF targeted Protestant communities and Protestant individuals in their degenerate sectarian campaign.
I’m sure you’ve got boilerplate whataboutery prepared for incidents like the Kingsmills Massacre.
“PIRA – not as bad as the UDA” should be your profile name. Pathetic.
The IRA were terrorists
Eh, just saying and correct me if I’m wrong here but isn’t there similar suspicions about security force awareness; on both sides of the border concerning the horrific Omagh bombing in 1998? 30 innocent people murdered and hundreds injured just to protect the interests of the ‘spooks’??
Yes, there is speculation alright.
Police knew it was happening but did nothing about it. The aftermath of the bombing brought about an end to the RIRA bombing campaign. Guess the “security” services “mistake” worked out for them.
?
IRA and Sinn Fein are knee deep in british informers.. Certainly in the 90′s anyway. There are claims in the public domain that senior Sinn Fein figures were double agents.
Pretty obvious at this stage that some members of the IRA were colluding with British Intelligence and RUC special branch so maybe it’s time for the British Government to man up and spill the beans on all of their skullduggery.
Every claim is in the public domain so long as somebody hears what you say and I doubt you talk to a brick wall when making up conspiracy theories about sinn fein. This is good news for republicans & there ain’t nothing you can do to spin it.
Always something suspicious about the fact that the loyalists had left their meeting early.. Many things over the period 1986-1994 didnt make sense including subsequently the GFA.
The timing of the Shankill bomb was unsurprising as at the time loyalist death squads were murdering innocent catholics unabashed. The bomb to wipe out the loyalists was unsurprising what was surprising was doing it on a busy shopping day with hundreds of people about just like Omagh. From a ‘securocrat’ point of view it was ideal a double edged sword 1. It hurt the IRA 2. It ensured demilitarisation would not happen for ten years..3. it would also strengthen the ‘doves’ in the provos… Bringing forward the ceasefire.
How can murdering 8 innocent civilians be good for republicans, if the ruc could have stopped this and didn’t then they need to be brought to justice, they are the very same as the perpetrators
The target wasn’t civilian and if British agent hadn’t deliberately set the timer incorrectly and informed the intended targets the only ones who’d have been killed would have been the UVF leadership…
It’s funny how the defenders of multiple murders are quick to blame it on the timer being interfered with, of which there is no evidence that I am aware of while totally ignoring the evil deed itself!
I read somewhere that whatever type of bomb in was would have been designed to blow upwards aiming at the uvf guys upstairs who had a meeting there every week but on this occasion they were not there which in itself is suspicious. It would have given them time to give a warning and clear the civilians out of the chip shop before it went off. Apparently, one of them was a double agent for the Brits and the bomb was tampered with to detonate early leaving no time to clear the bottom floor of the civilians and one of them was also killed.
Reg, interesting that you’d defend the UVF and their British overlords…
Maybe they screwed up when arming the device?
I’m not idolising anyone but I love hoe the shinner types jump in with all kinds of theories to try and delflect from a terrible incident. They probably didn’t intend to murder all those people but they did and we’ll probably never know what exactly happened.
@reg. I agree that the bomb was an atrocity and that those who planned and carried it out were primarily to blame. However, the UK independent article linked in a comment above states that the timer had been interfered with.
It’s hardly just a theory when relatives of those killed are questioning British involvement. Are those questioning the official narrative just to sit back while the likes of yourself, who’ve proven time and again that their understanding of The Troubles is questionable at best, continue to attack for political gain and nothing else ??
It was a horrific act by those who carried it out and by those who allowed it to happen! Even tho they say the intended targets were not there, they were always gonna kill civilians aswell!
There can be no denying that British were up to their necks in collusion. This recent story would not surprise many.
Lethal Allies: British Collusion in Ireland by Anne Cadwallader gives an excellent and shocking account of this.
http://www.theguardian.com/media/greenslade/2013/oct/25/northernireland-pat-finucane
REg,when you say “It’s funny how the defenders of multiple murders are quick to blame it on the timer being interfered with, of which there is no evidence that I am aware of while totally ignoring the evil deed itself!”
Are you suggesting that PIRA member was a suicide bomber? The provo’s had the best bombmakers in the world who had developed their skills over the years. The Timer Power Unit used in the Brighton bombing was regarded as a huge leap in sophistication by the security forces. The Shankill bomb itself was a shaped charged designed specifically to blow upwards. The fact is that these people didn’t make mistakes and that is why at the time there was a lot of rumours going around even then about the bomb being interfered with. Now with this new information it makes a lot more sense.
Proctor the bomb was designed to blow upwards and kill the UDA members upstairs while allowing the IRA man 45 seconds on the timer to let the bomber clear the civilians out but not enough time for the UDA men to get clear. The object was a targeted bombing with no civilians killed but that allegedly didn’t suit the RUC’s purpose.
Ira/sf knee deep in informers? Sure why d’you think they called off the war? Bacause their left hand couldn’t trust their right hand I’e they’d become like a body that was riddled with cancer I’e rotten. They were riddled with informers, the Brits are masters at devide and conquer if your their friend they’ll sell you and if you’re their enemy they’ll try to buy you
Brian…shaped charges send MOST of the blast in a certain direction but not ALL of the blast. Anyone in the shop when the bomb went off (shaped charge or not) would have been seriously injured and killed. Also munitions assembled in munitions factories with the latest and best technology also go off unexpectedly.
Don’t be trying to exhonerate the ‘honorable’ expert bomb makers. They were harbingers of death to many innocent civilians and children. They were murdering s(um, as were many others on all sides.
Mary Lou if you ever actually to read up the many well written accounts of what happened on that day you will find that the plan was for the 2 IRA men to walk in, order the customers out at gunpoint and set the charge. If you look at the images of the aftermath you will see that the force of the explosion did indeed carry upwards, demolishing the upper floor while leaving the 2 buildings either side relatively intact. Andy R. Oppenheimer’s book the IRA: The Bombs and the Bullets, carries the description ” the author focuses on the bombs and explosives and shows how the IRA became the most adept and experienced insurgency group the world has ever seen through their bombing expertise”
This report http://tiny.cc/gjql8x from the Center for Asymmetric Threat Studies and the Swedish National Defence College had one of their experts saying ” The Irish Republican Army (IRA) had an
entire section devoted to Research and Development (R&D) of IEDs, the engineering
department, which was an elite division. It had an unprecedented level of adapted
technical expertise compared to any terrorist group that has ever existed before or
since”
I’m not exonerating anybody, I am merely stating that the bombmakers were the best in the world at what they did. They had fail safes built into their devices to counter exactly what happened. That is why there was so much speculation as to what went wrong. This wasn’t a timer made out of a 9v battery, an egg timer and a few bits of wire and metal. The moment Thomas Beagley activated the failsafe the bomb went off. The PIRA technicians test that before they assemble the arming mechanism itself and retest it again before the detonator is attached. Whatever about civilians they sure as hell didn’t want their own people getting blown up and that is why there has always been speculation that the bomb was jarked.
I know that all you do is blame republicans for every single violent act regarding NI and ignore any British or Loyalist wrongdoing so it doesn’t surprise me that you won’t even think for a minute that the RUC left this atrocity go ahead. I mean it’s not like the British ever murdered innocent civilians before now did they?
Paddy, exactly, you just need to read the comments on the Journal to see horse Irishman turns on Irishman, revolting characteristic but widespread.
Don’t know how “horse” got in there ?
If you make a bomb and set it to go explode somewhere, sometime you cannot absolve yourself of responsiblity if it doesn’t explode where, when or how it was planned. Its your explosive device and you own the consequences. Huge precautions are normally taken when working with explosives in industry for this reason.
While the IRA might have planned the operation and designed the explosive to only kill UDA members, you must remember a bomb, once detonated is a very blunt instrument and kills indiscriminately.
Slightly different though if an outside operator deliberately tampered with your explosives. And all huge precautions in industry don’t mean a hell of a lot if a rival company has infiltrated yours with the express intent of making sure your project fails..
Brian …blah blah blah murdering terrorist ..blah blah…. At least the murdering s(um were killed and never got the chance to maim and kill again.
Sez the man who was only a few hours ago was expressing disgust that the bombers were provided immunity from prosecurion – blissfully unaware that one was killed in the explosion and the other was sentenced to life. Featherbrained.
Shinnertrolls thinking this was some sort of Mission Impossible black-op.
Not that difficult to murder innocent people.
At least one of the terrorists got a taste of his own medicine.
Mary Lou “Brian …blah blah blah murdering terrorist ..blah blah…. ”
I’m well used to that response seeing as it usually comes from people who when faced with a logical, researched and thought out comment, they themselves have no other response other than to resort to childish retorts like “blah, blah, blah”. Look, dry your eyes and take some advice. If you can’t handle being handed your ass on a plate, then don’t try to mix with the adults on the internet. Maybe a website like this http://www.teenchat.com/chat/ireland-chat/ would suit someone of your intellectual abilities.
Brian..there is no argument..they were planting bombs in civilian areas. No better than ISIL. They were terrorists. Simples.
This whole thing is a mess. My attitude. Just ignore Sinn fein/IRA. Don’t vote for them and they will go away
Vote for Sinn Féin and they will do a better job than neoliberal fine gael or economy crashers fianna fail.
No to.. You’re obviously in your early twenties/late teens. That’s ok but u need to read more than SF propaganda.
I watch rte, listen to irish times podcast, watch documentaries & read books on irish history. I don’t need a lecture from some assumptive troll as to what I am/should be reading.
Disgraceful IRA thug supporters trying to blame others for their barbaric acts of unadulterated savagery.
I suppose Johnnie Adair and his fellow UDA peace activists were meeting upstairs to organize their next collection for their favourite “Save the Whale” charity?
@Leo This is not “claims”. It is uncovered, hard, evidence. That evidence shows that the RUC allowed this bombing to go ahead. It is evidence that the victims families appear to accept as genuine too. So I suppose those victims’ families who today expressed their shock and horror at the revelations, are all “disgraceful IRA thug supporters” too then, yeah?
I’m sure the victims also blame the Provos and its senior command, who murdered these innocent people, including two children.
You can’t weasel out of responsibility shinnerbots.
No Dermot.. Quite the opposite.. You don’t get to pop into an article at a time you know you won’t be challenged to try an spin this into political gain for your fascist buddys who have never given a rats a#s about NI or it’s people until it might cost them in their pockets..
‘Ra ‘Ra Rasputin.
Ah, I get it now.
I care about NI. So much so I agree with the vast majority of people north and south that the bombing of innocent civilians was disgusting.
You care so much that you lead your comment with a cheap “joke” ? That really all it is to your lot. If you cared so much you’d want the whole truth. Your nothing but Blueshirt filth…
“This is not “claims”. It is uncovered, hard, evidence.”
Really? Could’ve sworn I just read something else entirely:
“According the the report, the IRA commander who had planned the bombing was a police informant at the time and he had allegedly given his handlers in the RUC prior warning that the event was going to take place.”
‘Allegedly’ being the key word.
No hard evidence? Perhaps you ought to read the article from the Irish News who’s journalist saw the encrypted RUC documents for herself and who first broke the story on Monday (three days before thejournal or most of the 26 county media bothered to report it). This document is the hard evidence.
Typical that there would be toerags here trying to make excuses and deny security force involvement is sadly not a surprise. Any sane person would be outraged at the very suggestion of “security” force involvement in the slaughter of “their own” citizens, but nope, not good folk like yourself. Unless it’s the sole responsibility of the IRA, you just don’t care, isn’t that about it?
How people thought blowing up people would have made the British withdraw is beyond me. Imagine if they did….their would have been civil war of epic proportions with the loyalist revolt. There is such a hardline of f$&!ed up people up their the British would love to have rid of the place and the southern government don’t really want them either.
Because maybe they knew that deep down the British didn’t give a flying fig about protestant lives either and if they caused enough hassle both in NI and in the UK the majority of their public would eventually get sick of “the Irish” and demand they hand the whole “mess” over to Dublin…Despite what loyalists would like to think most of the UK don’t see them as being anything but Irish… And it’s kind of borne out by the allegations here.
@John The free state didn’t get it’s slice of independence by writing polite letters to London.
Horrendous bombing. A British soldier opened fire on a crowd at Begleys wake and got ten years for attempted murder. Adams carried Begleys coffin.
Johnny adair must have been a informer as well it was the only morning he missed a uvf /lvf meeting above the chipshop so he must have known about it.
He actually was in the shop but didn’t sit down to the meeting as he was told by an RUC sympathizer that the place was bugged.
Brian..you seem to know all about this event..were you the rat?
have your say