Thursday 7 July 2022 02:03 AM Desperate Boris could 'go nuclear' and drag Queen into his shameless battle to ... trends now

An increasingly desperate Boris Johnson could 'go nuclear' and ask the Queen for a snap General Election to quash the rebellion which has seen 46 MPs quit government, allies have said.  

The Prime Minister rejected calls to quit on Wednesday and dramatically sacked Cabinet rival Michael Gove, but was later hit with the departure of a third Cabinet minister - Welsh Secretary Simon Hart - and further demands to go from the Attorney General.

Mr Johnson met ministers in No 10 where he was told he had lost the confidence of the Tory party and should not continue in office - but refused to listen.

The dramatic sacking of Mr Gove, a long-standing ally who has served in Cabinet roles in successive governments since 2010, came after a whirlwind two days in Westminster that has seen Mr Johnson's core support hemorrhage.

Mr Johnson's allies have now raised the prospect of taking the 'nuclear option' and asking the Queen to dissolve parliament to trigger an election - which he does technically have the power to do - but the monarch could also refuse the request. 

Critics have branded the idea 'deluded madness' which would spark a constitutional crisis if the Queen turned down his request, and senior officials and MPs have reportedly warned him against the 'Trumpian' strategy. 

Concern among MPs comes following the approval of the Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Act which was brought into law this year, repealing the Fixed-term Parliaments Act and allowing for the body to be dissolved by the Queen 'on the request of the prime minister'.  

Conservative MPs worry that the Prime Minister could try to use it to save his premiership.

A government source told The Times: 'It is something that was talked about but it is completely deluded madness.'

In two days of drama, more than 40 resignations were sent to the Prime Minister since Sajid Javid sparked a tidal wave of revolt late on Tuesday evening in a move that now threatens to bring the Government to its knees. 

The PM's relationship with Mr Gove has long been troubled, with Mr Johnson's leadership campaign in 2016 derailed when his rival withdrew support and decided to run himself.

Mr Johnson phoned the Levelling Up Secretary yesterday evening to tell him he was being removed from his Cabinet job, accusing him of 'treachery'.

But it was not only Mr Gove who sought to persuade Mr Johnson that his time in No 10 should end.

Home Secretary Priti Patel, Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis and Welsh Secretary Mr Hart were among the Cabinet ministers telling Mr Johnson to stand down.

Attorney General and leadership hopeful Suella Braverman later joined the calls for the Prime Minister to quit as she launched a bid to replace him.

It is understood that senior Conservatives have been told by the Cabinet Office that the head of the civil service, Simon Case, would warn against the PM asking for a dissolution on the grounds that it would drag the Queen into politics. 

One senior MP said that the civil service would advise against putting the Queen in a 'difficult position', and his private secretary or cabinet secretary would tell him not to seek a dissolution because while the monarch could refuse it would be seen as constitutionally 'inappropriate' to put her in a position where she has to make a 'controversial decision'. 

Under the 'Lascelles principles', the monarch can turn down a request for a dissolution on three conditions, which are:

Senior Tory MPs think all conditions are met and, one Johnson supporter predicted the Queen would refuse to allow the dissolution of parliament by 'finding a way of being busy until we've sorted this mess out ourselves'. 

Behind the famous black door of No10, the PM had earlier struggled with backbench chief Sir Graham Brady and senior figures including chief whip Chris Heaton-Harris - who warned him that the 'game is up'.

But an unapologetic PM shocked Sir Graham and his ministers by telling them he is going nowhere, effectively daring them to call another confidence vote and saying he will focus on the 'hugely important issues facing the country'. There are claims he has told friends 'if you are going to die, go down fighting'. 

The PM appointed his chief of staff Steve Barclay to replace Mr Javid as Health Secretary, and universities minister Michelle Donelan was promoted to Cabinet to replace Mr Zahawi.

Former royal aide Samantha Cohen - known as 'Samantha the Panther' is now being lined up to restore order to the Downing Street operation, and was appointed Boris Johnson's interim Chief of Staff after Steve Barclay was moved to become Health Secretary.

Mr Johnson phoned Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove yesterday evening to tell him he was being removed from his Cabinet job, accusing him of 'treachery'.

The sacking came after the minister went alone to see Mr Johnson in his Downing Street study shortly before 10.30am yesterday and tried to persuade him to stand down.

Mr Gove warned the PM his position was 'no longer sustainable', telling him: 'The party will move to get rid of you'.

'It is better to go on your own terms,' he urged him.

Despite his pleading, at the end of the amicable five-minute conversation, Mr Johnson told Mr Gove: 'Thank you, but I am going to fight on.'

The pair then walked down the corridor to the Cabinet Room, where the Levelling Up Secretary helped Mr Johnson to prepare for Prime Minister's Questions.

But the minister was noticeably absent from the frontbench as the PM faced MPs.

At 2.27pm, the news that Mr Gove had told Mr Johnson to go was broken on The Mail+. But the Levelling Up Secretary's allies insisted he was not quitting and was not planning to lead a wider delegation of ministers to Downing Street to call for the PM to stand down.

An hour later the Prime Minister was questioned about his cabinet colleague's warning to him as he appeared before the Commons liaison committee.

Mr Johnson did not dispute that Mr Gove had told him he should resign. Asked if the story was true, he replied: 'I am here to talk about what the Government is doing. I am not going to give a running commentary on political events.'

At around 9pm, Mr Johnson rang Mr Gove to sack him. Neither Mr Gove nor his advisers were the source of The Mail+ story, but the PM said he believed the minister was behind the leak.

A No 10 source last night accused him of being a 'snake', adding: 'You cannot brief the Press that you're calling on the PM to go and expect to stay in Cabinet.

'It's not the first time he's been treacherous, appalling and disloyal. This is something he [Mr Johnson] should have done years ago. We need team players who share the PM's vision for Britain.'

Danny Kruger, who had been a ministerial aide to Mr Gove at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) last night said he was quitting his post in response to the sacking. 'Very sorry indeed to hear Michael Gove has been fired by the PM,' he tweeted. 'As I told No 10 earlier today it should be the PM leaving office. I am resigning as PPS [Parliamentary Private Secretary] at DLUHC.'

Three ministers at the department – Kemi Badenoch, Neil O'Brien and Stuart Andrew – had earlier announced they were quitting. Duncan Baker, another PPS, also resigned.

Tory former minister Tim Loughton said last night: 'Michael Gove has taken the PM the traditional whisky and revolver. The PM has downed the whisky and turned the revolver on Gove.'

Mr Gove torpedoed Mr Johnson's Tory leadership bid in 2016 following the Brexit referendum, when he dramatically withdrew support for his campaign at the last minute and then ran himself.

Ultimately it ended both men's hopes and left the field clear for Theresa May to reach No 10.

In the 2019 Conservative leadership race, Mr Gove finished third place amid claims votes were switched from Mr Johnson to ensure Jeremy Hunt made the final two instead of him.

A Johnson ally claimed at the time: 'He stabbed us in the back. We stabbed him in the front.'

But Mr Johnson made Mr Gove Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster in his first Cabinet in July 2019 before moving him to become the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

Mr Gove has been in and out of Cabinet positions. David Cameron removed Mr Gove from his post as education secretary in 2014 and demoted him to the role of chief whip. When Theresa May became prime minister in 2016, she sacked Mr Gove as justice secretary, before bringing him back as environment secretary a year later.

There was yesterday 'pretty strong view' across the 1922 Committee that Boris Johnson should go, a Conservative MP has said.

Speaking to the PA news agency, David Simmonds, who represents the Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner constituency, said the Prime Minister should go as the 'message has been very clear from colleagues'.

On the 1922 Committee meeting, Mr Simmonds said: 'There were a couple of people who would agree with that (that he should not go). Well, there was one person I can think of, but other than that, no, I think it was a pretty strong view across the piece.'

Mr Simmonds said there are quite a few 'good candidates' that could replace Mr Johnson as leader, adding: 'I'm not canvassing for anybody. But I think we have got a fair few good people. I think Rishi Sunak has a good economic vision for the country.

'I was a strong Remainer. But I think as somebody who believes in Brexit, he has actually got a plan. So I like that.'

Energy minister Greg Hands has defended his decision to remain in the Government amid a slew of resignations and mounting pressure for Boris Johnson to resign as Prime Minister.

Mr Hands told the PA news agency: 'Well I think the majority of the Government has not resigned, the majority of Government is carrying on and we will have to see what happens at the top, yeah.'

Asked how in good conscience he can continue to serve in an administration beset by scandal, he added: 'Because I have got a job to do, to deliver on energy and climate change and that's exactly what I am going to be carrying on doing.'

On whether his constituents support this decision, he added: 'Well, I think my constituents, they vote for me as their member of Parliament, I hope that they would continue to do so.'

And Attorney General Suella Braverman says she will continue in her role despite calling for the Prime Minister to quit.

The Cabinet minister, who has previously been a staunch supporter of Boris Johnson, told Peston on ITV that he had handled matters 'appallingly' in recent days.

She said: 'The balance has tipped now in favour of saying that the Prime Minister - it pains me to say it - but it's time to go.'

She said she will put her name into the ring if there is a leadership contest.

She told Peston: 'My first duty is to the country, Robert, and as attorney I'm the senior law officer.

'And we're in a crisis and I have statutory legal and constitutional duties...

'I don't want to resign because I have that duty. We need an attorney in government.'

Asked whether she recognises that Mr Johnson will likely sack her, she said: 'That is his choice, and I will do whatever the Prime Minister asks me to do.'

The PM rejected calls to quit on Wednesday and dramatically sacked Cabinet rival Michael Gove, but was later hit with the departure of a third Cabinet minister - Welsh Secretary Simon Hart - as well as Ms Braverman's demand.

The withdrawal of the attorney general's support marks a significant shift by the QC, who was elected as MP for Fareham in May 2015 before being appointed as the top legal official by Mr Johnson in February 2020.

She became the first Cabinet-level minister to take maternity leave and was reappointed to her ministerial position in September.

Special legislation had to be passed by Parliament to enable her to take time off from her ministerial duties.

During her absence she was designated Minister on Leave (Attorney General) while her deputy, Solicitor General Michael Ellis, was made attorney general.

During last month's confidence vote, Ms Braverman expressed hope the PM would win the poll with a large margin.

The Euro-sceptic had been a supporter of Mr Johnson since her days as the chair of the Brexit-backing European Research Group.

But Ms Braverman on Wednesday joined Home Secretary Priti Patel, Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis and Welsh Secretary Simon Hart among Cabinet ministers telling Mr Johnson to stand down.

It is understood that Ms Patel earlier spoke to the Prime Minister to convey the 'overwhelming view' of the parliamentary party.