On Fri., conservative MP Paul Holmes announced his resignation from the Home Office, citing a 'toxic culture' at Downing Street.
Holmes was elected as MP for Eastleigh in the 2019 General Election and had been a parliamentary private secretary to Home Secretary Priti Patel since Sept. 2021.
Although the PM and his allies are trying to bring an end to the partygate scandal that has dominated British news agendas for the last six months, the mounting call of Tory backbenchers no longer standing with the government highlights the extent of mistrust and damage that Johnson has caused.
While Holmes' resignation does cause some concern, a parliamentary private secretary is the lowest rung on the ministerial ladder and PM Boris Johnson still has enough backing from Tory MPs.This is by no means catastrophic for Johnson or the Tories.