On Wednesday, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was desperately clinging to his position despite a growing number of legislators asking for his resignation and the resignation of ministers who said he was unfit to lead.
Johnson’s secretaries of finance and health, as well as a number of others in lower-level positions, resigned on Tuesday, citing the latest in a string of scandals that have marred his administration.
Johnson faced increasing pressure to resign, but he demonstrated his will to hold onto power by naming businessman and minister of education Nadhim Zahawi as his new finance minister and filling some of the other positions. Later on, Wednesday, when Johnson appears in parliament for his weekly question period and a two-hour grilling from the chairs of select committees, the depth of antagonism Johnson faces inside his party will be made clear.
Johnson, a former journalist and mayor of London who became the face of the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union, won a resounding election victory in 2019 before assuming office with a confrontational and frequently disorganized style.
The prime minister was fined by police for violating COVID-19 lockdown restrictions, and a damning report was released regarding the conduct of staff members at his Downing Street office who broke their own lockdown guidelines. His leadership has been plagued by scandals and gaffes over the past several months.
