July 20, 2022
11:55 am
Prime Ministers Questions
Catch-up
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PMQs – Boris Johnson faces last ever grilling from Sir Keir
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PMQs Live – Rowdy scenes as non dom rules questioned
PMQs Live – PM to face humiliating grilling from Sir Keir
Sajid Javid delivers brutal resignation speech in Commons
PMQs Live – ‘Pathetic spectacle’ – Brutal PMQs for Boris as more resignations roll in
Sajid Javid delivers brutal resignation speech in Commons
Sajid Javid delivers his resignation speech in the Commons – the speech is bruising and delivers stinging criticism of his boss. The former Health Secretary quit his role late last night, followed just under 10 minutes later by Chancellor Rishi Sunak. Since then, there has been a flurry of resignation and Tories withdrawing their support for the prime minister. Now, more than ever, it appears the PM will face a second confidence vote.
At 3 pm today the prime minister will face a second grilling from MPs as he is set to appear at the Liaison Committee after PMQs.
More resignations rolling in for the PM
PMQs – Sajid Javid delivers resignation speech
Sajid Javid went on to reiterate that “treading the tightrope between loyalty and integrity has become impossible in recent months.”
He said: “I will never risk losing my integrity.”
The former health secretary said he believes a team is “as good as its team captain, and that a captain is as good as his or her team.”
“Loyalty must go both ways,” Mr Javid said. “The events of recent months have made it increasingly difficult to be in that team.
“It’s not fair on ministerial colleagues to go about every morning defending lines that don’t stand up and don’t hold up.
“It’s not fair on my parliamentary colleagues who bare the brunt of constituents’ dismay in their inbox and on their doorsteps in recent elections.
“And it’s not fair on Conservative members and voters who rightly expect better standards from the party they supported.”
‘I was told there was no parties’
Mr Javid said he was assured “at the most senior level” that “there had been no parties in Downing Street and that no rules were broken” at the start of the scandal.
“So I gave the benefit of doubt and I went on those media rounds to say I had those assurances from the most senior level of the prime minister’s team,” he said.
“Then we had more stories, then we had the Sue Gray report. I continued to give the benefit of the doubt.
“This week again we have reason to question the truth and integrity of what we have all been told, and at some point we have to conclude that enough is enough.
“I believe that point is now.”
Read Rishi Sunak and Sajid Javid resignation letters in full – and the PM’s response
‘One of the toughest roles’
Mr Javid added that he fears the reset button can only work “so many times”, saying: “There’s only so many times you can turn that machine off an on before you realise that something is fundamentally wrong.”
Continuing his statement, Sajid Javid said his time as health secretary has “undoubtedly also been one of the toughest roles that I have had so far”.
He added: “The gravity of home office decisions, the scale of treasury decisions, but nothing matters more than the health of the British people, especially in the wake of a pandemic.”
Mr Javid then took a moment to pay tribute to those working in the NHS.
“There is so much that I planned for the long term,” he said. “For the long term reform of our health and care systems, and it is a wrench to leave important work behind.
“When I last gave a personal statement from this seat I spoke about the importance of institutions and conventions.
“Today, it is about the importance of integrity.
“Don’t worry, there’s not going to be a series of these.”
He said these are both “central pillars” that underpin “our great democracy”.
Mr Javid went on to say he believes all MPs are “motivated by the national interest”, adding: “The public expects all of us to maintain honesty and maintain integrity.”
He said this is not an “abstract matter,” adding: “We must bring the country together as one nation.”
PMQs Live – Brutal PMQs for Boris as more resignations roll in
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Pincher’s drinking wasn’t the problem, says Conservative MP
Tory MP Gary Sambrook challenges the PM’s comments suggesting MPs should have attempted to intervene to stop Chris Pincher drinking at the club last week.
He says it’s insulting to the victims to suggest that drink was the problem.
Sambrook says the PM constantly tries to deflect from the issue, blame others for his mistakes and should resign. He comments are met with cheers and clapping.
The speaker slams MPs for clapping – ‘it’s not a debating society’
PM says Labour wants him out because otherwise the Tories will win another general election.
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What happened to those new hospitals?
Labour’s Andy Slaughter says the promised new 40 hospitals, the NHS Confederation says none of these will be built by 2024.
“Two of those ‘new’ hospitals, exist in my constituency, Hammersmith, opened in 1902, and Charing Cross, opened in 1818. They’re not new hospitals, and there’s no building going on,” he says.
“They exist only in his warped imagination.”
PM says the government has managed to get 13,500 more police officers on the street and the new hospitals wil be built by 2030.
“We’re putting the funding into our NHS,” he adds.
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Tory asks is there any circumstances in which the PM will resign?
Tory MP Tim Loughton asks if there are any circumstances the PM should resign in.
In response, the PM says “clearly” if there was circumstances where he felt the government couldn’t carry on with the mandate it’s been given or would not be able to support Ukraine he would.
Johnson insists he has a “colossal majority” and he will keep going
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PM it’s over – Ian Blackford
Ian Blackford says it’s easy to forget that only 10 days ago the PM was talking about a third term. He says it’s a miracle the PM even made it to PMQs – adding: “Prime minister it really is over.”
He asks how many more ministers need to quit before the PM writes his own resignation letter.
The PM says the economy is the great issue the country faces and the govt is helping families up and down the country with £1,200 right now, tax cuts for 30m and helping half a million people into work, he says, and that is the priority of his government.
“I’m glad he likes it,” he says – in reference to Blackford.
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‘Pathetic spectacle’
Starmer calls on the PM’s government to have “some respect” and says they have for the past week been defending the PM’s decision to promote a “sexual predator” – referring to Chris Pincher being appointed to deputy chief whip.
Starmer points to a number of the PM’s claims over the handling of the situation and says they have proven to be untrue.
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PM says Starmer should “hear what his lot say about him.”
He says Starmer wanted to put Jeremy Corbyn in power.
“He voted 48 times to overturn the will of the British people,” to overturn the referendum results, he states.
“He has voted time and time again against sanctions on criminals that would put them behind bars,” he adds.
