By Ben Kerrigan-
Energy minister Greg Hands has addressed the latest development in Downing Street that has seen four key members of Boris Johnson’s team resign on Thursday was the result of the prime minister “taking charge”.
Energy minister Greg Hands said: “The Prime Minister was absolutely clear on Monday that there would be changes at the top of No 10 and that is what he has delivered.”
Boris Johnson’s director of policy Munira Mirza was the first one to quit her position yesterday as she questioned the PM’s attempted smear of Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer.
The departure of Martin Reynolds, Johnson’s principal private secretary, and Dan Rosenfield, his chief of staff, announced later in the day, were in response to a shake-up in response to partygate.
Resigned: Martin Reynold
Jack Doyle’s departure as press secretary – also widely expected – falls into the second category too, although he may have had more say over the timing of his exit than Reynolds and Rosenfield. Their resignations were only announced a bit later, as No 10 sought to convert the “Mirza quits” story into a “PM orders staff shake-up” one.
Another member of the No 10 policy unit, Elena Narozanski, has resigned. Narozanski has been an adviser on women and equalities..
Resigned : Dan Rosenfield Image:politicshome.com
Chief of staff Dan Rosenfield and private secretary Martin Reynolds also joined the chaotic exits as experts dubbed these moves to be “rats leaving the sinking ship”.
A No 10 spokesperson confirmed the resignations and said: “They will continue in their roles while successors are appointed, and recruitment for both posts is underway.”
The political crisis has been likened to something worse than a horror flick by a “senior backbencher”, according to reports.