A top enforcer in the UK’s Conservative Party, Chris Pincher, quit suddenly last week after being seen groping men at the party’s boozy lair near Parliament—and more tales of his behavior soon emerged. As is his habit, Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s stories about what he knew, and when, keep changing depending on how much everyone else finds out. After months (if not years!) of successive scandals, each heightened by Johnson’s blurted-out epistemological manoevers, two top allies have finally had enough: Finance minister Rishi Sunak and health secretary Sajid Javid quit today.
“The public rightly expect government to be conducted properly, competently and seriously,” Sunak said in his resignation letter. “I recognise this may be my last ministerial job, but I believe these standards are worth fighting for and that is why I am resigning.”
“In preparation for our proposed joint speech on the economy next week, it has become clear to me that our approaches are fundamentally too different,” Sunak added in the letter. “I am sad to be leaving Government but I have reluctantly come to the conclusion that we cannot continue like this.”
Javid wrote that “it has been an enormous privilege to serve in this role, but I regret that I can no longer continue in good conscience.” Javid added that the vote of confidence in the prime minister last month “was a moment for humility, grip and new direction.”
“I regret to say, however, that it is clear to me that this situation will not change under your leadership — and you have therefore lost my confidence too,” Javid wrote.