Will Quince resigns as minister, saying he had ‘no choice’ after using false information from No 10 in interviews
And Will Quince has resigned as minister for children and families. Quince defended Boris Johnson in interviews on Monday and he says he has resigned because he used false information in those interviews that he had been given by No 10.
Quince said he had been given a “categorical assurance” by No 10 that Johnson was not aware of any “specific” allegation made against Pincher when he appointed him to the post of deputy chief whip earlier this year. That was not true.
Quince says in his resignation letter that he spoke to Johnson last night and that Johnson delivered a “sincere apology”. But Quince says he has to resign anyway because he repeated what he was told by No 10 “in good faith”.
Effectively he is saying he regards saying things that are untrue to the public as a resignation matter – even though he was not to blame. There are many of his colleagues who do not apply the same standard, and who have given false information to viewers on the basis of a No 10 briefing but who have not resigned.
In his letter Quince says:
Dear Prime Minister.
Thank you for meeting with me yesterday evening and for your sincere apology regarding the briefings I received from No 10 ahead of Monday’s media round, which we now know to be inaccurate.
It is with great sadness and regret that I feel that I have no choice but to tender my resignation as minister for children and families as I accepted and repeated those assurances in good faith.
With great sadness and regret, I have this morning tendered my resignation to the Prime Minister after I accepted and repeated assurances on Monday to the media which have now been found to be inaccurate.
I wish my successor well – it is the best job in government. pic.twitter.com/65EOmHd47p
— Will Quince MP 🇬🇧 (@willquince) July 6, 2022
Key events:
Sajid Javid did not take questions as he left his home in south-west London this morning after resigning as health secretary last night. According to the Evening Standard, as he got into his car he told journalists: “Morning, thanks for coming. It is good to see you.”
The Tory papers have (mostly) turned on Boris Johnson this morning. Here is a round-up.
If he can stay in office for three more days, Boris Johnson will have served longer as PM than Neville Chamberlain, according to Tom Newton Dunn from Talk TV.
Boris Johnson must continue as PM for 3 more days to beat Neville Chamberlain’s length of service, and 33 days to beat Theresa May’s (he’d dearly love to do both, as a bare minimum). Will he do either? Absolutely nobody knows yet. pic.twitter.com/loPDcJXnVR
— Tom Newton Dunn (@tnewtondunn) July 6, 2022
Will Quince resigns as minister, saying he had ‘no choice’ after using false information from No 10 in interviews
And Will Quince has resigned as minister for children and families. Quince defended Boris Johnson in interviews on Monday and he says he has resigned because he used false information in those interviews that he had been given by No 10.
Quince said he had been given a “categorical assurance” by No 10 that Johnson was not aware of any “specific” allegation made against Pincher when he appointed him to the post of deputy chief whip earlier this year. That was not true.
Quince says in his resignation letter that he spoke to Johnson last night and that Johnson delivered a “sincere apology”. But Quince says he has to resign anyway because he repeated what he was told by No 10 “in good faith”.
Effectively he is saying he regards saying things that are untrue to the public as a resignation matter – even though he was not to blame. There are many of his colleagues who do not apply the same standard, and who have given false information to viewers on the basis of a No 10 briefing but who have not resigned.
In his letter Quince says:
Dear Prime Minister.
Thank you for meeting with me yesterday evening and for your sincere apology regarding the briefings I received from No 10 ahead of Monday’s media round, which we now know to be inaccurate.
It is with great sadness and regret that I feel that I have no choice but to tender my resignation as minister for children and families as I accepted and repeated those assurances in good faith.
With great sadness and regret, I have this morning tendered my resignation to the Prime Minister after I accepted and repeated assurances on Monday to the media which have now been found to be inaccurate.
I wish my successor well – it is the best job in government. pic.twitter.com/65EOmHd47p
— Will Quince MP 🇬🇧 (@willquince) July 6, 2022
Laura Trott resigns as PPS in transport department, saying trust in politics ‘of upmost importance’
Laura Trott has just resigned as a PPS (parliamentary private secretary). She has posted this on her Facebook page.
I want to update you all, that I have resigned from my role as parliamentary private secretary, to the Department of Transport. Trust in politics is – and must always be – of the upmost importance, but sadly in recent months this has been lost. Thank you to all of you who have written to me expressing your views. I have read them carefully, and taken them into consideration as part of my decision. I have, and will always, put the residents of Sevenoaks and Swanley front and centre of my work in Westminster.
Q: On inflation, there is an argument that you cannot afford tax cuts when inflation is a problem because that will fuel inflation. That is what Rishi Sunak thought. But there is another argument that tax cuts are needed, because they will fuel growth. Is that why you were appointed?
Zahawi says that is not right. He says he was appointed because he would be evidence-led. He will rebuild the economy, and promote growth.
Zahawi has now slipped into talking about the vaccine delivery programme, saying the focus on data, evidence and transparency made it a success. That is what he will do with policy generally, he says.
Robinson says the data and evidence shows that taxes are going up to a record high under this government. Why not tell people the truth? Tough times demand high taxes.
Zahawi says his focus is on promoting growth. 2023 is going to be hard for growth.
Q: Taxes are going up?
Zahawi does say “Yes”, but rapidly moves on.
Zahawi says the PM told him last night to focus on “delivery, delivery, delivery”. But it must be a team effort. He goes on:
Divided teams do not attract votes.
(That does not bode well for Zahawi’s party, in the light of everything else being said by his Tory colleagues today.)
Q: Everything ministers have told us about what No 10 knew about Chris Pincher was untrue. It was only when Simon McDonald spoke out they told the truth?
Zahawi says the PM apologised last night. “In my view that’s good leadership,” Zahawi says (he is referring to apologising for your mistake).
Q: But you and he did not tell the truth when you said he did not know about the Pincher allegations when he appointed him.
Zahawi says he was telling the truth to the best of his knowledge.
He tries to change the subject, and says they have a big challenge ahead.
The people trying to turn the Tories against each other are people like Alastair Campbell, he says.
Robinson says it is “insulting” to claim this crisis has just been created by the government’s opponents.
Nadhim Zahawi, the new chancellor, is now being interviewed by Nick Robinson on the Today programme.
Q: Why was it in the country’s interests, as against yours, for you to stay in the cabinet?
Because we are facing a global battle against inflation, says Zahawi. And we have war on our continent. Many people are struggling with their bills. Today the biggest personal tax cut in a decade is coming into force (the rise in the national insurance threshold).
Q: Don’t you agree with Rishi Sunak, who said the government should be conducted properly and competently? And don’t you agree with Sajid Javid who said the government should have integrity.
Zahawi says Boris Johnson apologised for the Chris Pincher appointment. He says governments take decision at speed, and don’t get everything right.