Blow to UK PM as minister Rishi Sunak, Health Secy Javid quit

New York: UK Finance Minister Rishi Sunak and Health Secretary Sajid Javid resigned on July 5, plunging Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government into crisis. Sunak, in his letter, said he was “sad to be leaving the government”, but has come to the conclusion that “we cannot continue like this”.

“The public rightly expects the government to be conducted properly, competently, and seriously. I recognize this may be my last ministerial job, but I believe these standards are worth fighting for and that is why I am resigning,” Rishi Sunak said in his resignation letter.

Javid said he had lost confidence in Johnson’s ability to govern in the national interest after a series of scandals, saying he could “no longer continue in good conscience”. He said that many lawmakers and the public had lost confidence in Johnson’s ability to govern in the national interest.

The ministerial exits come as a big blow to Johnson’s leadership and follow a day of high political drama since a former civil servant spoke out about Downing Street’s handling of allegations against recently suspended MP Chris Pincher.

Nadhim Zahawi is UK’s new Finance Minister

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson named his Iraqi-born education secretary, Nadhim Zahawi, as finance minister after the shock resignation of Rishi Sunak.

Downing Street said Queen Elizabeth II had approved the appointment of Zahawi, who came to Britain as a child with his Kurdish family not speaking any English, before forging a lucrative business career.

The 55-year-old co-founded the prominent polling company YouGov and was active in local Conservative politics in London, before becoming an MP in 2010.

The prime minister named another loyalist, Michelle Donelan, to take Zahawi’s place in the education ministry.

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