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Cabinet resignations: Hugh Grant and Nish Kumar among celebrities to react to Sunak and Javid departures

Chancellor and health secretary’s resignations came within minutes of each other on Tuesday

Ellie Harrison
Tuesday 05 July 2022 14:46 EDT
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Sunak and Javid resign: Johnson says it was a ‘mistake’ to appoint Pincher

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Celebrities have been celebrating on social media after Rishi Sunak and Sajid Javid’s resignations, which came within minutes of each other on Tuesday evening (5 July).

Sunak quit as chancellor and Javid resigned as health secretary as Boris Johnson’s leadership faced a fresh crisis.

The resignations came after Johnson was forced into an embarrassing apology over his handling of the Chris Pincher row, after it emerged he had forgotten about being told of previous allegations of “inappropriate” conduct.

Pincher quit as deputy chief whip last week following claims that he groped two men at a private members’ club, but Johnson was told about allegations against him as far back as 2019.

Reacting to news of the resignations on Twitter, Hugh Grant retweeted a post by Count Binface, a satirical political character created by comedian Jonathan Harvey who was a candidate in the 2019 general election against Johnson. The post was a picture of Johnson and Binface, with the caption: “Britain chose poorly.”

(Twitter)

Comedian Nish Kumar tweeted: “Balancing out the fact that I can’t stand Javid or Sunak with the fact that I love to see a rich white man brought down by Asians.”

“WOW!!! Chancellor Rishi Sunak has also resigned. Cabinet dominos falling... it’s over for Boris,” posted Piers Morgan.

Actor Sanjeev Bhaskar wrote: “Sajid Javid and Rishi Sunak resigned! Desis out the door! What was in their paranthas this morning? Seems like operation big dog or dead dog or whatever hasn’t really gone to plan. Unless this was the plan?”

“Queen has resigned,” joked comedian David Baddiel. “God has resigned.”

This Is Going to Hurt author Adam Kay tweeted: “It’s collapsing like a house of c***s.”

Actor Mark Gatiss added: “These hateful s***s suddenly deciding they have principles having relentlessly defended a man they knew from the very beginning was unfit to hold office.”

See other tweets from celebrities, including Kathy Burke, Rylan, and Omari Douglas below.

The Prime Minister’s authority had already been damaged by a no-confidence vote, which saw 41 per cent of his MPs vote against him.

Johnson is now immune from a Conservative leadership challenge until June next year under party rules, but the latest resignations put pressure on him to leave Number 10 himself.

Follow live updates on the resignations here.

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