Both Rishi Sunak and Sajid Javid resigned from their positions in a devastating blow to Boris Johnson.
At the time of writing, there have been 54 resignations.
The PM quickly recruited Nadhim Zahawi in the role of Chancellor, but the senior minister turned against him almost immediately.
A number of cabinet ministers met with Mr Johnson at Downing Street to tell him it was ‘time to go’.
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Prime Minister: this is not sustainable and it will only get worse: for you, for the Conservative Party and most importantly of all the country. You must do the right thing and go now. pic.twitter.com/F2iKT1PhvC
Mr Zahawi today published an open letter which stated: “My number one priority has and always will be this great country. When asked to become Chancellor, I did it out of loyalty. Not to a man, but loyalty to this country and all it has given me.
“The challenges Britain faces, be it inflation or Putin’s war in Ukraine, will not pause for anything, and it is vital that the major offices of state continue to function through a national crisis. If people have thought poorly of me for that decision, it is criticism I am willing to shoulder.
“Yesterday, I made clear to the Prime Minister alongside my colleagues in No10 that there was only one direction where this was going, and that he should leave with dignity. Out of respect, and in the hopes that he would listen to an old friend of 30 years, I kept this counsel private.
“I am heartbroken that he hasn’t listened and that he is now undermining the incredible achievements of this Government at this late hour. No one will forget getting Brexit done, keeping a dangerous antisemite out of No10, our handling of covid and our support for Ukraine in its hour of need.
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“But the country deserves a Government that is not only stable, but which acts with integrity. Prime Minister, you know in your heart what the right thing to do is, and go now.”
A No 10 source says Boris Johnson has spoken to Tory 1922 Committee chairman Sir Graham Brady and agreed to resign.
He will stay in the position for now, but a new party leader will be appointed by the time of the party conference in October.
Sir Keir Starmer said: “It is good news for the country that Boris Johnson has resigned as Prime Minister. But it should have happened long ago. He was always unfit for office. He has been responsible for lies, scandal and fraud on an industrial scale. And all those who have been complicit should be utterly ashamed.
“The Tory Party have inflicted chaos upon the country during the worst cost of living crisis in decades and they cannot now pretend they are the ones to sort it out.
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“They have been in power for 12 years. The damage they have done is profound. 12 years of economic stagnation, 12 years of declining public services, 12 years of empty promises. Enough is enough.
“We don’t need to change the Tory at the top – we need a proper change of government. We need a fresh start for Britain.”
This is breaking news story. More to follow.
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Huge shuttle bus effort laid on to get Manchester United fans to Old Trafford amid tram disruption
Daisy Jackson
Transport for Greater Manchester has announced a shuttle bus scheme to help Manchester United fans get to Old Trafford this week, amid major tram disruption.
Fans won’t be able to use trams to get to the ground as usual, due to huge improvement works which are in place until Monday 2 November.
There’ll be no trams at all on the Altrincham, Trafford Park, and Eccles lines, with Airport and East Didsbury trams only going as far as Firswood.
That means that fans heading to Manchester United’s home game against Bournemouth would have been a little stuck without this newly-announced shuttle bus service.
Frequent dedicated shuttle buses will run running Piccadilly Gardens, Altrincham Interchange and the Trafford Centre, taking fans directly to Old Trafford before the game.
Frequencies range from five to 20 minutes depending on the route and time, with details available online. Return services will be in place after the final whistle.
TfGM staff will be at key stops and interchanges throughout the day to help fans get to the match and provide travel advice.
Huge shuttle bus effort laid on to get Manchester United fans to Old Trafford amid tram disruption. Credit: TfGM
Ian Davies, TfGM’s Network Director for Metrolink, said: “There is no good time to disrupt passengers to carry out these works, and this is the first time in over a decade that trams won’t serve Old Trafford on a match day, but these works are essential and will enable us to provide a better service in future. I am very sorry to fans who face disruption.
“We’ve put a range of alternative travel options in place, including dedicated shuttle buses, bolstered Bee Network bus services, rail options and ticket acceptance arrangements will help fans get to and from the game.
“Journey options will be different from usual, so we would encourage supporters to plan ahead, check their route and our website before they travel and leave plenty of time to get to and from the stadium.”
TfGM is advising supporters to leave around an hour earlier to help make sure they arrive in time for kick-off.
Andy Burnham introduces new rules to tackle ‘rip-off’ parking charges
Daisy Jackson
City centre parking is at a premium, especially in a city like Manchester – but we’ve surely all made honest mistakes when paying and been slapped with eye-watering fines as a result.
Well now, Andy Burnham has announced a new Private Parking Code of Practice, which will clamp down on ‘rip-off’ private parking charges.
It will also make it easier for drivers to challenge unfair charges, capping charges for ‘smaller slip-ups’ at £20, and scrapping charges altogether on appeal for ‘honest mistakes’.
The new Code will get drivers a guaranteed five minutes to decide whether to park and 10 minutes to leave once their session ends.
Under the new Private Parking Code of Practice laid in Parliament today, you’ll be able to appeal to have all charges scrapped for honest mistakes like stopping briefly to check directions, and for situations like a medical emergency, breakdown or broken ticket machine.
Then charges will be capped at £20 for other mistakes such as forgetting a parking permit, entering the wrong vehicle’s registration or forgetting to confirm it in the machine when parking.
The Code also freezes the maximum parking charge at £100. Operators who don’t comply risk losing access to DVLA data, meaning that even if they issue a charge, it will be far more difficult to identify the registered owner to pursue payment.
Data shows just under 17 million private parking charges were issued in the UK last year alone.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said: “Being a few minutes late back to your car or typing one digit of your numberplate wrong shouldn’t end with a hefty fine landing on your doormat.
“These charges leave people feeling ripped off and out of pocket, so I’m putting a stop to them.
Andy Burnham introduces new rules to tackle ‘rip-off’ parking charges. Credit: Unsplash, Samuel Isaacs
“We are introducing clearer rules, longer grace periods and lower charges for genuine mistakes, while going after the deliberate scams that rip drivers off.”
Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government Angela Rayner said: “Parking should be straightforward, not another everyday hassle. These changes mean drivers get a fairer deal, protected time to park and leave without fear of being unfairly charged, and confidence that private parking providers are held to a higher standard.
“It’s yet another step forward in this government’s plan to take the stress out of everyday life and ease the pressure on people’s pockets.”
Minister for Consumer Action, Kate Dearden, said: “Nobody works hard for their money just to be deceived by a dodgy trader, and this is exactly the kind of everyday rip-off this government is going after.
“By making it easier to take action against car clocking, we are protecting consumers’ hard-earned money and supporting businesses that play by the rules.”
Daisy Jackson -
7th July 2022 
