As it happened: Johnson's position untenable - Tory MP

1. MP Aaron Bell confirms he has submitted a letter of no confidence in Boris Johnson, becoming the latest Conservative to do so
2. The Newcastle-under-Lyme MP says he once supported Johnson's leadership but that his position is now "untenable"
3. A fifth adviser has also resigned from Downing Street, piling pressure on Johnson
4. Elena Narozanski had been a member of No 10's policy unit under Munira Mirza, who quit on Thursday
5. Mirza - who was a close ally of the PM - cited Johnson's false claim that Sir Keir Starmer failed to prosecute Jimmy Savile as her reason for leaving
6. Director of communications Jack Doyle, chief of staff Dan Rosenfield and senior civil servant Martin Reynolds also resigned
7. No 10 says the prime minister still has control of Downing Street - he is said to have quoted the Lion King, telling staff: "Change is good"

Thanks for joining us

That’s it from us after another busy day in Downing Street.

Today’s live page was written by Victoria Lindrea, Jeremy Gahagan, Alex Kleiderman, Jo Couzens, Mary O’Connor, Chris Giles and Malu Cursino. It was edited by Holly Wallis and James Clarke.

What has happened today?

It's been an eventful day of political upheaval as resignations and letters of no confidence continue to put pressure on Boris Johnson's leadership.

Here's a roundup of today's key developments:

• Aaron Bell has become the latest Tory MP to submit a letter of no confidence in the prime minister. He says he once supported Johnson's leadership but that his position is now "untenable"
• Elena Narozanski became the fifth No 10 adviser to quit her role, following policy chief Munira Mirza and three others yesterday
• Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove is the latest minister to defend Johnson, insisting the "best thing for the country is for the PM to continue"

• Away from resignations and no confidence letters, Johnson has spoken to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz about the situation in Ukraine with the pair said to have "agreed on the importance of dialogue with Russia"
• Johnson has also congratulated the new Southend West MP, Anna Firth, who retained the seat for the Conservatives

Boris Johnson promises MPs 'direct line' into No 10

Reuters

We've had a bit more detail on what's been happening in the background as Boris Johnson faces continued pressure over his leadership.

It's now emerged he's promised his MPs a "direct line" to No 10.

In a letter sent to MPs on Friday, the PM insists he is "committed to improving the way 10 Downing Street, and government more broadly, works", promising further updates in the coming days.

This will mean him working with Graham Brady, the 1922 chair, and his colleagues to re-establish backbench policy committees.

Urging MPs to get involved in these committees, the PM says he wants them to "play an important role in generating ideas and discussion".

Johnson pledges that Andrew Griffith, the MP who is taking over as No 10 policy chief after Munira Mirza's resignation, will provide "whatever engagement and support is necessary to make this a success".

Who is No 10's ex-head of policy Munira Mirza?

PA Media

Munira Mirza is a name we've been hearing a lot today.

One of Boris Johnson's closest aides, she quit on Thursday, blaming what she called a "scurrilous" attack by the prime minister on Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer. But who is she?

If you'd like to find out more about her - during your Friday evening journey home perhaps - you could listen to Radio 4's profile here.

Is it out with the old and in with the new at No 10?

Jessica Parker

BBC political correspondent

EPA

"Change is good," declared Boris Johnson to Downing Street staff earlier.

And the string of departures will be said, by his supporters, to show he is shaking things up.

That was the promise the prime minister made, after all, to a packed room of Tory MPs on Monday.

But there are considerable doubts that this is part of some kind of masterplan to overhaul Number 10.

For one thing, Munira Mirza’s resignation was because of her personal unhappiness at the PM's behaviour rather than part of any obvious revamp.

Given she was also such a long-standing ally, it’s been seen as a body blow to Johnson.

Then there’s her replacement as head of policy, Andrew Griffith.

A choice which has been described to me as a "desperate" by one Tory MP and "bizarre" by another.

This is partly because Griffith's prior job was that of a parliamentary aide to… Boris Johnson.

Therefore, the rationale goes, he is not best-placed to help the PM hit refresh and see things with new eyes.

One Conservative MP wearily remarked that it seemed so far to be a case of "Boris's old mates being replaced by some of Boris's slightly newer mates".

PM focuses on Ukraine in call with German Chancellor

After meeting with No 10 staff earlier and acknowledging "challenging" times, the PM has been back in the office, trying to get on with his day job.

This afternoon he spoke to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz about the situation in Ukraine, where Russian troops have amassed near the border.

It follows Johnson's phone call, on Wednesday, with Russian President Putin, and his visit to Kiev to talk with President Zelensky on Tuesday.

A Downing Street spokesperson says Johnson and Scholz "agreed on the importance of dialogue with Russia".

They also agreed to work on a package of sanctions - with the PM stressing that they should be brought into force "immediately" in the event of further incursions by Russia into Ukraine.

Getty Images

Aaron Bell wrote letter of no confidence on 12 January

In a statement on Twitter, Conservative MP Aaron Bell says he wrote his letter of no confidence in Boris Johnson following Prime Minister's Questions on 12 January.

He was unhappy about the lockdown parties at Downing Street and says he could not square the PM's words on these from the despatch box with his previous statements to the House of Commons.

"Subsequently, I have also struggled to reconcile assurances given directly to me with the implications of Sue Gray's interim findings," he adds.

Bell says he is "profoundly disappointed it has come to this" having backed Brexit and Johnson for the leadership in 2019.

"The breach of trust that the events in Number 10 Downing Street represent, and the manner in which they have been handled, makes his [Johnson] position untenable."

The best thing for the nation is for the PM to stay - Gove

Michael Gove on Boris Johnson and Downing Street staff changes

Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove is the latest minister to defend Boris Johnson, as resignations and letters of no confidence rock his premiership.

Asked if the prime minister's team is in disarray, Gove tells reporters in Sunderland that Johnson "wanted" change and that we are "seeing that change now".

When asked about the loss of support in the PM by the leader of the Conservative Group on Sunderland Council, he says "we don't ignore, we nurture the grassroots".

Gove also insists the "best thing for the country is for the PM to continue".

How might Tory MPs oust Boris Johnson?

Getty Images

Each political party has its own rules for the election - and removal - of its leader. Here's a reminder of how that works for the Conservative Party.

How do you start a leadership challenge?

At least 15% of Tory MPs have to write a letter of no confidence in the PM - this currently works out as 54 MPs.

Once the threshold has been reached the chairman of the 1922 Committee, the organisation representing all backbench Conservative MPs, tells the prime minister to schedule a no-confidence vote.

What happens in a no-confidence vote?

It's a secret ballot and usually takes place within days of the no-confidence vote being announced.

How many votes does Boris Johnson need to win?

He needs to secure a majority - currently 180 votes (half his MPs, plus one) - assuming every Tory MP casts a vote and nobody abstains. If he wins, he will be immune from another no-confidence vote for a year.

What happens if he losses?

There would be a leadership contest and he would be barred from standing.

You can read more about the process here.

BBC

I wanted to register my disgust - Aaron Bell

BBC

Tory MP Aaron Bell's letter of no confidence in the PM comes after he asked Boris Johnson if he took him for a fool in the House of Commons, earlier in the week.

He described driving for hours each way to his grandmother's funeral, where there were only 10 people, adding he did not hug his siblings or parents or visit his family home.

Speaking on Tuesday, Bell said he wanted to register his "disgust" at what had been going on at No 10 in the Commons.

"The reason I didn't go to my nan's house for a cup of tea after was because I felt that those of us who voted for those laws needed to follow them to the letter."

He added he "was standing up for people, people who had much worse experiences" and because "the people who make the rules aren't obeying them".

BreakingAnother MP submits letter of no confidence

Conservative MP Aaron Bell says he has submitted a letter of no confidence in the prime minister to Sir Graham Brady.

Posting on Twitter, Bell - who criticised Boris Johnson over lockdown parties in the Commons earlier this week - said the "breach of trust" over the No 10 rule breaking and how it had been handled made the PM's position "untenable".

The BBC is aware of 17 Tory MPs who have submitted letters of no confidence in the prime minister.

At least 54 MPs need to write to Sir Graham to trigger a vote on the PM's leadership of the party.

North East MPs split over backing for prime minister

Richard Moss

Political editor, North East & Cumbria

PA Media

Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak during a visit to Teesport

Conservative MPs in north-east England and Cumbria will, mostly, admit that they have had plenty of angry constituents contacting them about Downing Street parties.

But their public stances probably sum up why, as yet, the prime minister is not facing any vote of confidence.

The MPs seem to be in three camps.

There’s the die-hard supporters, apparently happy to defend Boris Johnson at every twist and turn.

Teesside’s Simon Clarke, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, has been touring media outlets incessantly to back the PM. Others, like Workington’s Mark Jenkinson and Darlington’s Peter Gibson, have been equally vocal from the backbenches. Yes, mistakes have been made they say, but if you want a Tory leader to deliver for the North, and reach its voters, it has to be Boris Johnson.

Then there are those who seem to be watching which way the political wind is blowing, gauging whether the storm will pass, or just get worse. They talk of public and personal anger, but say they still need more information before making a final judgement (and presumably burning any bridges).

And then there are those who will tell you privately that he’s toast, or at least should be, but are waiting for the perfect moment to deliver the killer blow. The fact they remain in the minority even after the events of this week tells you why the prime minister, for now, remains unchallenged.

Ultimately though, MPs here, particularly those who took Labour seats in 2019, will ultimately have to make a cold, hard calculation. Can Boris Johnson recover the golden touch with northern voters that helped them win their seats, or is the "partygate" damage so deep that sticking with him risks oblivion?

Some want to wait for May’s local elections for hard evidence, but more weeks like the past one could push some to wonder whether they can afford to wait.

PM congratulates new Southend West MP Anna Firth

Boris Johnson has tweeted his congratulations to new Southend West MP Anna Firth.

He wrote that he was looking forward to welcoming the new MP to Parliament next week.

Firth won with 12,792 votes in a contest that saw a low turnout of 24%.

The election was not contested by Labour, the Liberal Democrats or the Greens.

It follows the fatal stabbing of MP Sir David Amess during a constituency surgery in Leigh-on-Sea on 15 October.

Lockdown party questions are frustrating - Javid

EPA

We heard a bit from Health Secretary Sajid Javid earlier - but in further comments, he's said he finds it frustrating to have to answer questions about lockdown parties and recent resignations from No 10 while major policies are being announcement.

He faced a series of questions from reporters after a speech setting out his ambitions to improve cancer prevention and diagnosis.

He said: "If you're asking me can it be a bit frustrating that when I want to talk about cancer and someone questioning me wants to talk about something completely different, yes - but that's life, and that's politics, and I get it."

Javid says the prime minister "has responded well to the situation" and while investigations are still taking place, people "need to wait for the outcome of those further investigations" by the Metropolitan Police.

Rebuilding No 10 team will be a challenge - union leader

Getty Images

Boris Johnson will find it hard to rebuild his senior team from scratch, the leader of the union representing senior civil servants has said.

FDA general secretary Dave Penman describes the loss of four "handpicked" senior figures at the same time as "extraordinary".

"To lose so many critical posts at once really is undermining the effective working of No 10," he tells BBC Radio 4's World at One programme.

"These are the prime minister's most senior advisers, these are the people he trusts.

"A lot happens in No 10, and you need a group of people you can trust that are very close to you, both politically - and understand how you work. That's how you get an effective No 10."

He adds: "It raises an issue about the management of number 10.

"I am not sure you would plan to have so many of the key officials leaving at the one time. It would be a challenge to fill each of these jobs individually, to do four of them at the one time is almost impossible."

PM absolutely wrong over Keir Starmer comments - Tory MP

Tory MP Huw Merriman 'troubled' by No 10 controversies

MPs have also been reacting to those comments made by the PM about Sir Keir Starmer.

Conservative MP Huw Merriman, who we heard from earlier this morning, says he thinks the false claim that Sir Keir failed to prosecute sexual abuser Jimmy Savile "was absolutely wrong”.

The PM later backed down, saying the Labour leader "had nothing to do personally with those decisions".

But the MP for Bexhill and Battle says he was looking for a "complete apology" from the PM over the remarks, and "an understanding that people are not happy and we need to do better”.

And although Merriman says the Conservatives have "lost face and public trust" with voters, he adds he wants to see what Johnson can do "to turn it around".

No evidence for PM's claim about Keir Starmer and Jimmy Savile

UK PARLIAMENT / JESSICA TAYLOR

As we've been discussing, Munira Mirza, No 10's ex-head of policy, has resigned over Boris Johnson's false claim that Labour leader Keir Starmer failed to prosecute serial sex offender Jimmy Savile when he was director of public prosecutions (DPP).

The Labour leader called Mr Johnson's comments a "ridiculous slur" and they were criticised by the Commons Speaker, Sir Lindsay Hoyle.

On Tuesday, Downing Street said Johnson "stands by" his comments.

But yesterday Johnson insisted he wasn't talking about Starmer's "personal record" as DPP - rather that he was "making a point about his responsibility for the organisation as a whole".

DJ and TV presenter Savile was revealed to be a serial sexual abuser after his death in 2011. He attacked hundreds of women and children at locations including hospitals, schools and the BBC.

The BBC's Reality Check team has examined the PM's claim and found no evidence that Starmer was involved at any point in the decision not to charge Savile.

Read their full analysis here.

Johnson is a 'moral vacuum' - Chris Patten

Reuters

As Boris Johnson looks to rebuild his Downing Street operation, we’ve heard some scathing words from former Conservative chairman Chris Patten.

He tells Radio 4’s World at One: “I’ve always thought the show was likely to end in disaster.”

Patten says Johnson’s leadership has been particularly scarred in the “last act” by the prime minister’s “scurrilous attack” on Sir Keir Starmer and the false claim that the Labour leader failed to prosecute Jimmy Savile.

The former MP goes on to criticise the prime minister's character, referring to him as a “moral vacuum” and a “symptom of what’s gone wrong” with the Conservative party.

He says people need to stand up to the right wing of the party which he describes as a “Johnsonian cult.”

What's happened so far today?

EPA

It's been a busy morning of political developments with Prime Minister Boris Johnson under pressure after the resignation of five senior No 10 aides.

Here’s a quick look at the main developments:

• Education policy specialist Elena Narozanski is the latest adviser to quit No 10
• Responding to the resignations, the PM's official spokesman insists Johnson has not lost control of No 10
• He says the departures of three advisers were "mutual decisions" agreed with the PM before policy chief Munira Mirza's resignation

• Mr Johnson attempted to rally staff at a meeting this morning, telling them "change is good"

• While some Tory MPs have expressed concerns over the resignations, Health Secretary Sajid Javid says the PM has "started making" changes in the culture of Downing Street
• Labour's shadow business secretary Ed Miliband has branded Johnson a "stain on our politics", likening him to the captain of a ship "throwing the crew mates overboard to try and save himself"
• Meanwhile, the Conservatives have retained the seat of Southend West in a by-election, with Anna Firth winning 12,792 votes, in a contest that saw a turnout of just 24%

Relations between PM and chancellor 'good' - No 10

Reuters

Downing Street insists that relations between Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak are "good".

The PM's official spokesman says: "I don't know when they last spoke, they speak almost daily, but I don't know the exact last time".

He added Johnson and Sunak "agreed to a cost-of-living package that the chancellor set out yesterday".

However, during a press conference yesterday afternoon, Sunak publicly distanced himself from the PM's false claim that Labour leader Sir Keir failed to prosecute Savile when he was director of public prosecutions.

"With regard to the comments, being honest, I wouldn't have said it and I'm glad the prime minister clarified what he meant," he told reporters.