‘The world has moved on’ from Boris Johnson, claims Secretary of State

Mr Shapps - who was Transport Secretary for the duration of Boris Johnson’s time as Prime Minister - made his comments to Sky News’s Sophy Ridge this morning (11 June), in an interview where she jokingly asked if he had become a ministerial “fire blanket” because of the frequency with which he’s sent on broadcast interviews to defend the government.

Arguments rumbled throughout the weekend following the shock resignation of Mr Johnson as an MP on Friday evening with immediate effect. Fellow Conservatives Nadine Dorries and Selby and Ainsty MP Nigel Adams also resigned over the weekend, triggering by-elections in their constituencies.

In response to the unexpected by-elections there have been calls for a general election from Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, who tweeted, “This farce must stop. People have had enough of a shambolic Tory government and a weak Prime Minister no one voted for.

“Rishi Sunak must finally find a backbone, call an election, and let the public have their say on 13 years of Tory failure.”

Later in the programme, Labour’s shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, Pat McFadden MP said that a general election was the only way to prevent Conservative “chaos”.

Boris Johnson announced his resignation as an MP before the Parliamentary Privileges Committee published the findings of its investigation into whether or not he lied in Parliament when defending the ‘Partygate’ scandal where lockdown-breaking parties were held by his staff during Covid-19 restrictions.

Johnson claimed in his resignation statement that the seven-person committee, which includes 4 Conservative MPs, was a “kangaroo court”. He also claimed that the report, which he had seen in advance of its publication next week, was “a political hitjob on someone they oppose”.

The committee’s report is due to be presented to Parliament, where a vote on its recommendations may have led to Mr Johnson being banned from attending the House of Commons for 10 days or longer, triggering a by-election in his constituency.

Mr McFadden said that “the committee’s verdict isn’t the last word.” Adding, “It then goes to Parliament, where the Tories are sitting on a majority of around 66 seats - at least it was on Friday before they all started resigning.

“Even then, it just triggers a recall petition where he could face the voters.

“But the truth is he didn’t want to face any of the verdicts because he can never accept responsibility for his own actions.

Johnson’s resignation statement came hours after his list of recommended honours from his time as PM was released after months of speculation.

Among those to receive peerages in the list was Shaun Bailey, who resigned as chair of the London Assembly’s police and crime committee after a photograph came to light of him attending a Christmas party at Conservative HQ in December 2020 at the height of Covid-19 restrictions.

Also given a lifetime legislative role in Westminster was Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen, whose redevelopment of the former Redcar steelworks is currently under special investigation by the government following allegations of corruption and cronyism.