Boris Johnson’s 5th top aide quits

London, February 4

Another aide of UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson quit on Friday, taking the total number of resignations at Downing Street to five as the embattled British premier was attempting to reset his government following the partygate scandal that has put his position in peril.

The string of resignations continued on Friday with the ruling Conservative Party's website reporting that Elena Narozanski has become the second adviser to quit the 10 Downing Street policy unit.

Johnson’s longstanding policy chief Munira Mirza, chief of staff Dan Rosenfield, principal private secretary Martin Reynolds, and communications director Jack Doyle left their posts within hours of each other on Thursday, days after a damning investigation revealed that multiple parties took place at Downing Street while the rest of the UK was living under strict Covid lockdown rules.

Doyle confirmed his exit shortly after Mirza’s departure. They were followed by Rosenfield and Reynolds, a media house reported on Friday. Doyle told staff that “recent weeks have taken a terrible toll on my family life”, but that he had always intended to leave after two years.

A statement said Rosenfield had offered his resignation to the Prime Minister earlier on Thursday but would stay on while his successor was found. Reynolds will do the same, but then return to a role at the Foreign Office, the report said.

However, Mirza quit over the Prime Minister’s false claim that opposition Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer failed to prosecute Jimmy Savile when he was director of public prosecutions, and his refusal to apologise.

Mirza was the first to go, using a stinging resignation letter to accuse the Prime Minister of “scurrilous” behaviour when he falsely linked Starmer to the failure to bring paedophile Jimmy Savile to justice.

Mirza’s exit is the most consequential. She was one of Johnson's long-standing allies and a key political player who helped shape the PM's platform — some of which made her unpopular with other members of his ruling Conservative Party.

The flurry of resignations came at the end of an important day for the government as the chancellor sought to explain how he hopes to avert a cost of living crisis for millions of people affected by rising fuel bills and mortgage payments.

The pressure for Johnson to step down has been increasing among members of his Conservative party after a series of missteps and allegations he and his team held rule-breaking parties during the pandemic.

Labour's deputy leader Angela Rayner said: “No amount of reorganising Downing Street can clean up the sleaze that comes straight from the top.” “With (Johnson's) senior advisers and aides quitting, perhaps it is finally time for him to look in the mirror and consider if he might just be the problem,” Rayner said. — PTI

Pressure over partygate

The top aides’ resignations come as UK PM Boris Johnson faces increasing questions over his leadership from within his party.

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