Sajid Javid just resigned

[achillestoes]

That’s all.

Maybe it’s payback for that time when Gove didn’t support him, and Theresa May ended up as party leader and PM?

A dish served cold and all that.

Yes probably that is a pretty cold dish! ;

Just when you think it couldn’t get more farcical. What next?

Have to say, I love the BBC's picture for this in their Live section: Gove behind a lectern with "#TakeControl" on it, and Johnson giving him the side-eye.

I thought years ago it was Boris who’d agreed to back Gove’s leadership bid and then stabbed him in the back?

Though Gove is buddies with Cummings still so probably hates him for that.

I’m struggling to concentrate on what Hue Edwards etc are saying outside Downing Street because of all the protests.

Does anyone have a running total?

BBC said at least 41 aides and MPs have resigned. Then there's Gove.

Gavin Barwell AT gavinbarwell
The difference between Boris and previous leaders of the Conservative Party is that they cared about the party and when reluctantly persuaded they were no longer an asset did the decent thing. He doesn't care - this is a scorched earth policy. The '22 needs to accelerate its plan

I have to say, i have wondered about whether Johnson will now decide to take out the party in the process of giving the boot.

I do think he might try it. It won't save him, but I can see him trying to destroy the party

43 and counting...

Thank you.

!!! Growing

Shehab Khan ITV AT shehabkhan
Cabinet clearly don’t want to move just yet.

1922 sources tell me they ideally wanted cabinet to move and sort this so they wouldn’t have to change the rules (obviously not a great look to do that).

Boris Johnson’s position right now is to try and call everyone’s bluff.

Tom Copley AT tomcopley
How can they still not have learned? Johnson is utterly ruthless and completely amoral and the only way to deal with him is to be ruthless in return.

You are not dealing with a normal, rational political actor you are dealing with a giant entitled man child. Respond accordingly.

Chief whip has gone
So has the welsh secretary.

The Cabinet will be Johnson sat with Dorries soon won't it?

Steven Swinford AT steven_swinford
Big scoop from AT GeriEL_Scott tonight

She reveals that Nadhim Zahawi has been working with close allies of Lynton Crosby for months on a Tory leadership bid

Campaign include VAT and corporation tax cuts

His team even prepared a resignation letter before his pro motion

Martin kimber AT mrmkimber
The Telegraph report the whips’ office have crunched the numbers and worked out Boris Johnson would get just 65 confidence votes out of nearly 360 Tory MPs

Well that would certainly tie with the chief whip resigning.

At this rate The Queen would have to sack him to get him out. She will never exercise that right...however it would be interesting

Exciting times. Wonder what Boris wil say in his resignation speech.

Ooh, Suella Braverman has said she'll put her hat in the ring.

And the Health Minister is gone.

George Peretz QC AT georgeperetzqc
A government lawyer I know is currently working out how/whether they can get a statutory instrument laid tomorrow when their department doesn’t have any ministers left.

Yep. Johnson can definitely stay PM and ride this out.... 😂

What the new one?

but I can see him trying to destroy the party

He’s doing a great job now - actually far better than if he tried.

No, Ed Argar has quit as health minister. Steve Barclay, the new health secretary is still in place, for now anyway.