Embattled UK PM suffers another blow

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was left reeling yesterday after his Brexit minister resigned, ending a difficult week during which his Conservative party suffered a humiliating defeat in a local by-election and his own MPs rebelled over new coronavirus curbs.

David Frost, a trusted ally of the prime minister and former Brexit negotiator, sent his resignation letter late Saturday following reports that he was to leave his cabinet post in January.

"It is disappointing that this plan has become public this evening and in the circumstances I think it is right for me to write to step down with immediate effect," he said in the letter, published by Johnson's Downing Street office.

Frost told Johnson he had "concerns about the current direction of travel" regarding coronavirus regulations and tax rises.

Johnson responded that he was "very sorry" to receive the resignation, "given everything you have achieved and contributed to this government".

The Mail on Sunday had that Frost handed in his resignation a week ago, but had been persuaded to stay on until the New Year.

Johnson is already reeling from a rebellion by 100 of his MPs in a parliamentary vote over coronavirus measures and the stunning loss of a 23,000-majority seat in a by-election.

That was partly blamed on a slew of reports that his staff and aides had held parties last Christmas despite virus restrictions in place at the time.

The by-election loss for Johnson's Conservatives intensified speculation of a leadership challenge.

Frost recently came second in a poll of most popular ministers held by ConservativeHome, an influential blog read by the grassroot Tories who could end up deciding Johnson's replacement.

The deputy leader of the main opposition Labour party Angela Rayner said the resignation demonstrated "a government in total chaos.

The series of crises engulfing Johnson have seen him garner increasingly negative coverage in Britain's right-wing press that is usually favourable to his leadership and his party.

The Daily Telegraph, the newspaper where Johnson used to work as a correspondent and columnist, called Frost's resignation "courageous" and a "turning point in the history of this administration" in an editorial reacting to his departure.