Michael Gove deserts Boris Johnson on frontbench as minister nowhere to be found

PMQs: Gove absent as Boris Johnson makes opening statement

The Secretary for Levelling-Up was notably absent from the crucial Parliamentary session as the embattled incumbent of No10 sought to fight on. A core member of Boris Johnson’s Cabinet, Michael Gove, is understood to have told his boss just hours before the Commons grilling that it was time to resign.

Mr Gove has not been seen in public all day with Express.co.uk told he is currently holed up in his departmental office.

While he is said to have approached Mr Johnson this morning to plead with him to give up his attempts to carry on, he has not yet resigned from Government.

Dozens of MPs have quit their posts today declaring they have no confidence in the Prime Minister to continue in his position.

The mass resignations come after Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Health Secretary Sajid Javid left the Government last night.

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Michael Gove has told Boris Johnson to quit (Image: GETTY)

Mr Gove is a key ally of Mr Johnson and is seen by many within the party as one of the few voices he may listen to on his future.

He was also the one who put a stop to the Uxbridge MP’s first attempt to run for the top job in 2016.

Home Secretary Priti Patel was also missing from her usual space on the Conservative frontbench.

However, prior to the Parliamentary meeting, Ms Patel asserted that she still backed the Prime Minister and would not resign from her position in the Cabinet.

Gaps could be seen on the Conservative backbenches too as PMQs.

There was little support for Mr Johnson from those who did take their seats in the Commons.

Mr Gove was missing from the Conservative frontbench (Image: Parliament TV)

Priti Patel was also absent from Prime Minister’s Questions (Image: GETTY)

Conservative MPs sat largely silent as they heard the exchanges between Mr Johnson and Sir Keir Starmer.

Labour MPs laughed and mocked Mr Johnson throughout the half-hour grilling, even waving goodbye to him.

Newly appointed Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi was sat beside the beleaguered leader as he sought to give his support forMr Johnson.

This morning he urged the Conservative party to unite in order to strengthen the Government and empower the Prime Minister.

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Speaking on the media round this morning, he warned: “All I would say to my colleagues is people don’t vote for divided teams.”

He also said the Prime Minister had done the right thing by saying he had made a mistake appointing Chris Pincher to the Government.

Mr Pincher was forced to quit his role as deputy chief whip last week after allegedly groping two men. It later emerged Mr Johnson had been aware of allegations before making the appointment.

Mr Zahawi said this morning: “It’s a fast-moving situation. We make decisions at warp speed. And when you make a mistake, it’s right to come out and say ‘I made a mistake’.

Boris Johnson vowed to remain as Prime Minister (Image: GETTY)

“And, of course, the Prime Minister said ‘with the benefit of hindsight, I shouldn’t have appointed Chris Pincher to the position of deputy chief’.

“I think, in my view, that is the right way to deal with this – when you know you’ve made a mistake, is to come out and own it.”

Mr Johnson has rejected demands for his resignation, saying that “of course” he will be Prime Minister on Thursday.

He told MPs: “The job of a Prime Minister in difficult circumstances when he has been handed a colossal mandate is to keep going, and that’s what I’m going to do.”