Boris Johnson's leadership on the rocks after Rishi Sunak and Sajid Javid's dramatic resignations

Boris Johnson faces the biggest leadership crisis of his tenure after the dramatic resignations of Rishi Sunak as chancellor and Sajid Javid as health secretary. The Prime Minister was battling to remain in No 10 as his handling of the row over scandal-hit former deputy chief whip Chris Pincher became the latest issue to raise questions over his judgment.

A humiliating apology from Mr Johnson was unable to prevent the departure of two senior ministers and potential leadership rivals, with both writing incendiary resignation letters. Mr Sunak said “the public rightly expect government to be conducted properly, competently and seriously”, adding: “I believe these standards are worth fighting for and that is why I am resigning.”

Mr Javid said the British people “expect integrity from their government” but voters now believed Mr Johnson’s administration was neither competent nor “acting in the national interest”.

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MPs in Greater Manchester were quick to react to the shock double Cabinet resignation. Ashton-under-Lyne MP Angela Rayner, the deputy leader of the Labour Party, led the way, saying the Government was 'collapsing' and that the PM had 'disgraced his office'.

She said on Twitter: "This Prime Minister has disgraced his office and let down our country. After all the sleaze, scandals and failure, it's clear his Government is collapsing. His cheerleaders have been complicit every step of the way, through all the lies and law-breaking. Britain deserves better."

Christian Wakeford, Labour's Bury South MP who defected from the Tories earlier this year, called for Mr Johnson to stand down. Also on