Boris Johnson skewered by former ally Bernard Jenkin in savage attack: ‘Sort this out!’

Bernard Jenking speaks on the Northern Ireland Protocol

Boris Johnson’s premiership is in crisis after 31 ministers and other figures quit the Government in the space of just 24 hours. The deluge of resignations began on Tuesday with the departure of Sajid Javid and Rishi Sunak. The Health Secretary and Chancellor claimed they no longer had confidence in the Prime Minister’s leadership. Their resignations, within minutes of one another, came after Mr Johnson admitted he had made a “bad mistake” in appointing former Chris Pincher as deputy chief whip.

Downing Street admitted on Monday that Mr Johnson had been briefed about some allegations against the Tory MP, who now faces claims of sexual misconduct.

This marked a change of position after Number 10 previously said on Friday that the Prime Minister was not aware of any “specific allegations”.

Amid the ongoing wave of resignations, Mr Johnson now faces a double grilling by MPs on Wednesday.

The Tory leader first took part in the weekly Prime Minister’s Questions session from noon, before facing a Commons Liaison Committee hearing at 3pm.

The Liaison Committee is chaired by Tory MP Sir Bernard Jenkin, who has been an ally to the Prime Minister over the years, but who has turned on him in recent months.

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Boris Johnson skewered by former ally Bernard Jenkin in savage attack: ‘Sort this out!’ (Image: GETTY)

Boris Johnson: On Wednesday after ministers quit (Image: GETTY)

Sir Bernard hit out at the Prime Minister in February amid the so-called Partygate scandal over social gatherings held in Downing Street that broke England’s COVID-19 lockdown rules.

Speaking about Mr Johnson to Sky News’ political editor Beth Rigby, he said: “He has got to sort this out.

“We are interested not in the optics, in some impression of a reset.

“We are looking for a change in the capability and the character of the Government.

“So that we can have confidence that nothing as clumsy or mortifying as this Partygate episode could ever happen again.”

Sunak: Quit Boris Johnson’s Cabinet (Image: GETTY)

Sir Bernard’s anger at Mr Johnson echoed that of many of his fellow Tory MPs, who were furious over the revelations.

Mr Johnson apologised several times over Partygate, including after Sue Gray’s damning report into the scandal, which found “failures of leadership” in Downing Street.

Mr Johnson and his wife Carrie were both handed £50 Fixed Penalty Notices over a birthday party held for Mr Johnson in Downing Street in June 2020.

Despite the scandal, the Prime Minister survived a confidence vote in June in which 148 of his own MPs called to oust him.

As Sir Bernard prepares to interrogate Mr Johnson on the Liaison Committee, his past remarks show that he has always kept his eye on the Tory leader.

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Partygate: PM skewerd over scandal (Image: GETTY)

The MP vowed not to “pull any punches” after he was appointed chair of the committee in May 2020.

Speaking to Politics Home at the time, he dismissed criticism from other MPs that he would fail to hold the Government to account in his new role.

He said: “I think their concern about that is entirely understandable, but if the Prime Minister and the chief whip suggested me on that basis, they’ve decided to nominate the wrong man.

Profile: Of Boris Johnson (Image: EXPRESS)

“I’m answerable to the committee and the House. I’m not beholden to anyone else.”

He said his appointment may have been because he is viewed “as a safe pair of hands” given his experience in chairing committees.

He added: “If I didn’t feel I was independent and if I didn’t feel I was a capable committee chair, then I wouldn’t be doing it.”