Boris Johnson rules out snap election as resignations mount

Boris Johnson rules out snap election as resignations mount
July 6, 2022, 6:34 pm

A view shows cabinet room in 10 Downing Street during British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's birthday, in London, Britain June 19, 2020 in this picture obtained from civil servant Sue Gray's report published on May 25, 2022. Sue Gray Report / gov.uk/Handout via REUTERSReuters

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson Wednesday (July 6) rejected calls by the Labor opposition to call a snap general election, after more than two dozen ministers quit his government.

He told a committee of MPs: “I really don’t think that anybody in this country wants politicians to be engaged in electioneering now.”

He added: “And I think that we need to get on with serving our voters, and dealing with the issues that they care about.”

Asked by a member of the panel if he would still be prime minister tomorrow, Johnson replied: “Of course.”

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson defied further calls for him to step down amid a wave of government resignations, arguing it wouldn’t “responsible” for him to quit right now in light of pressing domestic issues and the war in Ukraine.

UK prime minister Boris Johnson during PMQs in the House of Commons.

Johnson said, speaking to a parliamentary panel: “I look at the the issues that this country faces ... I look at the biggest war in Europe for 80 years."

“And I cannot, for the life of me, see how it is responsible just to walk away from that.”

New blow to Boris Johnson: British health and finance ministers resign

On Wednesday (July 6), another UK lawmaker resigns from government role. Conservative party lawmaker Craig Williams is the latest government member to quit in protest at Prime Minister Boris Johnson's leadership

Earlier on Wednesday (July 6), three more British lawmakers joined a growing tally of resignations from Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government in protest at his leadership.

Selaine Saxby, Claire Coutinho and David Johnston each said they were quitting their posts as parliamentary private secretaries, officials who assist ministers in their role.

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