Lord Frost sets out two reasons why it is time for Boris Johnson to go as Brexit in PERIL
Boris Johnson is 'absolutely' honest claims Nadhim Zahawi
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The former Brexit Minister said the “repetition of the same mistakes” and the “refusal to acknowledge the need for change” means Mr Johnson is “never going to get better”. The Tory peer hit out at the Government for moving “far too much to the Left” on the economy with tax rises and regulation.
But Lord Frost said he had become “even more worried” by the Government’s “style” amid the painfully drawn-out partygate saga.
He said the Chris Pincher row showed the Prime Minister would not “change the way he ran his Government” or “put systems in place to ensure that the errors of judgment of recent months would not be made again”.
Lord Frost said Mr Johnson’s “instinct was to cover up, to conceal, to avoid confronting the reality of the situation” meaning the “instinct, not the issue itself, has become the story”.
Writing in the Telegraph, he said: “I have to conclude that the repetition of the same mistakes, and the refusal to acknowledge the need for change, means that this Prime Minister is never going to get better.”
Lord Frost said that if the Prime Minister goes now he can hand over to a new team that is “determined to defend and seek the opportunities of Brexit”.
But the Tory peer warned if he hangs on he risks taking the Tory party and the Government “down with him”.
Lord Frost, who quit the Government last December due to concerns over the direction, said: “That’s why it is time for him to go.
“If he does, he can still hand on to a new team, one that is determined to defend and seek the opportunities of Brexit, one that is able to win the next election convincingly.
“That is in the Conservative Party’s interest, in Leave voters’ interest, and in the national interest. It needs to happen.”
Lord Frost’s comments come as Mr Johnson is battling to save his premiership following a string of resignations.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid and Chancellor Rishi Sunak quit within minutes of each other last night in a double body blow to the Prime Minister.
Their resignations promoted a series of further departures which have continued this morning with Will Quince going as children and families minister and Laura Trott stepping down as a ministerial aide.
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Mr Javid and Mr Sunak’s resignations came just after the Prime Minister apologised for giving former deputy chief whip Mr Pincher a top job despite knowledge of a previous complaint made against him.
Meanwhile, Mr Quince was one of the ministers sent on the airwaves to defend Mr Johnson’s position over Mr Pincher.
It comes after the Prime Minister’s authority had already been damaged by a confidence vote which saw 41 percent of his own MPs withdraw their support in June.
The loss of crunch by-elections in Tiverton and Honiton and Wakefield later that month triggered the resignation of party chairman Oliver Dowden.
Tory MPs are also uneasy about the Government’s high spending, high taxing approach following the pandemic amid the cost of living crisis.
And there is still anger over lockdown-breaking parties in Downing Street during Covid.
Mr Sunak’s replacement as Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi this morning hinted at reversing a planned rise in corporation tax in a bid to win over Tory MPs.
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