By Five of Prime Minister’s senior aides quit amid scandals
Four senior aides to Prime Minister Boris Johnson resigned within hours of each other last night, Thursday 3 February.
Head of policy Munira Mirza was the first to quit yesterday, condemning his “inappropriate” attack on Keir Starmer over Jimmy Savile.
The Prime Minister made a false accusation against Labour leader Keir Starmer, claiming that he failed to prosecute serial sex offender Jimmy Savile when he was director of public prosecutions.
In her resignation letter, published by The Spectator, Mirza wrote: “This was not the usual cut and thrust of politics; it was an inappropriate and partisan reference to a horrendous case of child sex abuse.
“You tried to clarify your position today but, despite my urging, you did not apologise for the misleading impression you gave.”
She added: “You are a better man than many of your detractors will ever understand, which is why it is so desperately sad that you let yourself down by making a scurrilous accusation against the leader of the opposition.”
Jack Doyle, the now-former director of communications at No. 10 Downing Street, resigned only a few hours after Mirza.
Previously a journalist, Doyle only moved to Downing Street in 2020.
Some are speculating that he resigned over the recent Partygate scandal, but reports suggest that he told his staff that he intended to resign after two years anyway.
The third and fourth senior aides to resign side by side yesterday were Martin Reynolds, Boris Johnson’s principal private secretary, and Dan Rosenfield, the former Treasury aide.
Reynolds gained attention during the Partygate scandal as it was revealed that he invited members of staff to ‘socially distanced drinks’ via email during the first Covid-19 lockdown.
Rosenfield only arrived at Downing Street in January 2021, but he was also embroiled in multiple scandals regarding the lockdown parties that were held at No. 10 during 2020 and 2021.
A fifth senior aide has also quit this morning, Friday 4 February.
Elena Narozanski was a member of the policy unit in No. 10 and was reportedly loyal to Munira Mirza.
The news comes after 17 Tory MPs submitted letters of no confidence in the Prime Minister, the BBC reported.
54 letters are needed to trigger a ‘leadership contest’.
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