BREAKING: Sajid Javid and Rishi Sunak QUIT in double blow to Boris Johnson - live updates

Sajid Javid and Rishi Sunak have tonight resigned from the government to pile the pressure on Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

Health Secretary Javid resigned this evening with a devastating letter. Then just moments later Chancellor Sunak quit in a Cabinet coup to topple under-fire Johnson.

It comes amid growing Tory anger over the Prime Minister's handling of the Chris Pincher saga.

In a letter posted on T witter, Mr Javid said: "Given the unprecedented scale of the challenges in health and social care, it has been my instinct to continue focusing on this important work.

"So it is with most enormous regret that I must tell you that I can no longer, in good conscience, continue serving in this government."

More to follow

Prior to Mr Sunak and Mr Javid's dramatic resignations, Boris Johnson admitted "it was a mistake" to appoint Chris Pincher as deputy chief whip after it emerged he had forgotten about being told of previous allegations of "inappropriate" behaviour.

Over the last few days, No10 spokespeople and ministers have given the public a number of different explanations on what Mr Johnson knew about Mr Pincher.

Asked if he had lied to the public about what he has known, Mr Johnson said: "No and let me explain what happened. We are talking about a series of appointments over seven years.

“Chris Pincher came into government as deputy chief whip before I became Prime Minister, he was move to the Foreign Office, he then went on to be a minister for housing and we then moved him back to be deputy chief whip.

“About two and a half years ago I got this complaint, it was something that was only raised with me very cursorily but I wish that we had, I in particular, had acted on it and that he had not continued in government