John Penrose MP resigns as Boris Johnson's anti-corruption champion

Mr Penrose, who represents Weston-super-Mare, has claimed it is “pretty clear” the prime minister has broken the ministerial code. 

He became the prime minister's anti-corruption champion in December 2017 and was reappointed to the role in July 2019.

Mr Penrose has written a letter to the prime minister, which says: “I'm writing, with huge regret, to tender my resignation as your anti-corruption tsar.

“Not because I have ceased to care about the role - the issue is more important now than ever. 

“My reason for stepping down is your public letter last week, replying to your independent advisor on the ministerial code about the recent Sue Gray report into ‘Partygate’. 

“In it, you addressed the concerns over the fixed penalty notice you paid, but not the broader and very serious criticisms of what the report called ‘failures of leadership and judgement’ and its conclusion that ‘senior leadership at the centre, both political and official, must bear responsibility for this culture’.”

Number 10 published the letter from Mr Johnson to ministerial code adviser Lord Geidt last week.

Boris Johnson will face a vote of confidence from Tory MPs today. Picture: UK Parliament/Jessica Taylor, PA Wire

In the letter, Mr Johnson apologised for attending a birthday party during lockdown but said he “did not consider that the circumstances in which I received a fixed-penalty notice were contrary to the regulations”.

He also said that “taking account of all the circumstances, I did not breach the code”.

Mr Penrose's letter adds: “You will know (and your letter to your advisor on the ministerial code explicitly says) that the Nolan Principles of Public Life are absolutely central to the ministerial code, and that the seventh of them is ‘leadership’.

“So the only fair conclusion to draw from the Sue Gray report is that you have breached a fundamental principle of the ministerial code - a clear resigning matter.”

The letter ends: “As a result, I'm afraid it wouldn't be honourable or right for me to remain as your anti-corruption champion after reaching this conclusion, nor for you to remain as prime minister either.

“I hope you will now stand aside so we can look to the future and choose your successor.”

I’m sorry to have to resign as the PM’s Anti-Corruption Tsar but, after his reply last week about the Ministerial Code, it’s pretty clear he has broken it. That’s a resigning matter for me, and it should be for the PM too. Here’s my letter to him explaining why. pic.twitter.com/0Wi6QWsMbI

— John Penrose (@JohnPenroseNews) June 6, 2022

Mr Penrose did, however, say he is grateful to Mr Johnson for “getting Brexit done” and for “getting the country out of Covid lockdown as early as was safely possible last year”.

Boris Johnson is set to face a vote of confidence between 6pm and 8pm tonight after 1922 Committee chair Sir Graham Brady confirmed he has received the 54 letters from Conservative MPs required to trigger the ballot.

Earlier today, Bridgwater MP Ian Liddell-Grainger said he will vote against Mr Johnson by proxy as he is currently in Sierra Leone.

Former foreign and health secretary Jeremy Hunt has said he will be “voting for change” as he believes “the Conservatives are no longer trusted by the electorate and “are set to lose the next general election”.

A spokesperson for 10 Downing Street said: “Tonight is a chance to end months of speculation and allow the Government to draw a line and move on, delivering on the people’s priorities.

“The PM welcomes the opportunity to make his case to MPs and will remind them that when they’re united and focused on the issues that matter to voters, there is no more formidable political force.”

Members of Mr Johnson's cabinet - including health secretary Sajid Javid, foreign secretary Liz Truss, chancellor Rishi Sunak, and deputy PM Dominic Raab - have expressed support for him.