The prime minister’s premiership was rocked on Tuesday evening (5 July) by the shock resignations of chancellor Rishi Sunak and health secretary Sajid Javid, moves that have triggered a slew of high profile departures.
However, transport secretary Grant Shapps remained a member of Johnson’s cabinet on Wednesday morning (6 July), while Nigel Huddleston remained in post as tourism minister. Neither have yet commented publicly on the situation.
Shapps’ department has, though, been hit with parliamentary private secretaries Nicola Richards MP and Laura Trott MP both quitting the DfT citing "poor judgement" and a loss of trust in politics respectively.
Richards announced her resignation on Tuesday evening (5 July). "I feel it is no longer feasible for me to carry out the role of parliamentary private secretary to the Department for Transport," she said in a letter posted on Twitter.
"At a time where my constituents are worried about the cost of living and I am doing my best to support them, I cannot bring myself to serve as a PPS under the current circumstances, where the focus is skewed by poor judgement that I don’t wish to be associated with. I therefore tender my resignation as a PPS in the government with immediate effect."
‘Lost off trust’
She was followed out of the DfT by Trott, who wrote on Facebook on Wednesday morning: "I want to update you all that I have resigned from my role as parliamentary private secretary to the Department of Transport [sic].
"Trust in politics is – and must always be – of the utmost 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."
Away from the DfT, minister for children and families Will Quince has quit his ministerial role, as has solicitor general Alex Chalk and minister for school standards Robin Walker. Several trade envoys have also stood down, along with a handful of other ministerial aides.
Sunak has been replaced as chancellor by Nadhim Zahawi, who was vaccines minister during the pandemic, with Michelle Donelan taking up Zahawi’s role as education secretary. Steve Barclay is the new health secretary, replacing Javid.
