Shapps was among a delegation of cabinet ministers to meet privately with John on Wednesday afternoon, with Shapps – who has broadly been loyal to Johnson – the first to break cover.

He was spotted entering Number 10 not long after Johnson appeared before parliament’s liaison committee, where he said he would not resign and would not call a snap election.

According to the BBC, Shapps told Johnson he would be unlikely to win another no confidence vote. Of Shapps, BBC political correspondent Nick Eardley said: “He’s understood to have advised Boris Johnson a more dignified exit would involve him setting his own timetable for an early but orderly departure."

Home secretary Priti Patel is also understood to have withdrawn her confidence in Johnson. Overnight, Welsh secretary Simon Hart and Northern Ireland secretary Brandon Lewis resigned from their posts.

On Thursday morning (7 July), the resignations continued with Treasury minister Helen Whately, security minister Damian Hinds and science minister George Freeman all standing down.