London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Mar 29, 2026

Boris Johnson resignation: Sajid Javid says prayer meeting moved him to quit

Boris Johnson resignation: Sajid Javid says prayer meeting moved him to quit

England's former Health Secretary, Sajid Javid, says he first thought about leaving Boris Johnson's Conservative government a week ago.

What resolved him to quit, he told the BBC's Sunday Morning show, was hearing a sermon on integrity at a prayer breakfast in Parliament on Tuesday.

He had previously given Mr Johnson the benefit of the doubt, he said.

When Mr Javid quit on Tuesday, a wave of resignations followed. Mr Johnson will now stand down in the autumn.

The event which triggered the prime minister's downfall, described by Mr Javid on Sunday as the "final trigger", was the suspension of MP Chris Pincher over sexual assault claims.

Mr Johnson had appointed Mr Pincher deputy chief whip - whose job it is to uphold discipline among fellow Tory MPs - in February, despite being made aware of earlier misconduct.

"It might sound a bit strange but I was listening to the sermon by this amazing man, Reverend Les Isaac - you know, he started Street Pastors," Mr Javid told the BBC's Sophie Raworth.

"I was listening to him talking about the importance of integrity in public life and, just focusing on that, I made up my mind.

"I went straight back to my office and drafted the resignation letter and went to see the prime minister later in the day."

Asked if he had co-ordinated his resignation with Rishi Sunak, who quit as chancellor minutes afterwards and - like Mr Javid - is now standing in the contest to replace Mr Johnson, the former health secretary said "not at all".

"Once you lose confidence in your boss, your prime minister, I don't think you can hide that," he added.

On his own ambition to replace Mr Johnson, he said he had the necessary experience and would come forward with a new Conservative economic plan.

He is promising tax cuts, arguing that without an economic uptick, funding for public services will suffer.

Asked about the years when he himself was non-domiciled for UK tax purposes, Mr Javid, who was first elected as an MP in 2010, says this was in the 2000s before he entered public life.

He says he had a job that was international and had lived abroad including in the US and Singapore. In 2009 he moved back to the UK and ever since then he has been tax resident and tax domiciled in the UK.

"Everything I've ever done when it comes to UK tax affairs has been properly consistent with UK tax," Mr Javid says.



Watch: Sajid Javid says he had given Boris Johnson the benefit of doubt before he decided to resign


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Thousands Rally in London to Oppose Rise of Far-Right Movements
Hong Kong Official Rejects Allegations of Surveillance Orders Targeting UK-Based Dissidents
PayPal Expands Cryptocurrency Services to Allow UK Users to Buy and Sell Bitcoin
UK Minister Challenges Reform Party’s ‘Pro-Family’ Agenda as Debate Intensifies
Concerns Grow Over Meningitis Risk Among UK Students Amid Warning Signs of New Outbreaks
Japanese Grand Prix 2026: Schedule, UK Start Times and Full Broadcast Details
Electric Vehicles Seen as Strategic Solution to UK Fuel Reserve Concerns
Rise of Lone-Actor Threats and Online Radicalisation Drives New Wave of Antisemitic Attacks in the UK
Canada Advances Plan to Ban Cryptocurrency Donations in Election Campaigns
UK Faces Looming Medicine Shortages as Iran Conflict Threatens Supply Chains
Deadly Meningitis Outbreak in the U.K. Highlights Urgent Need for Vaccination
Fresh Claims Emerge Over Harry and Meghan’s Australia Visit as Insider Speaks Out
NATO Assessment Indicates UK Defence Spending Has Fallen Below Alliance Average
FTSE 100 Slips as Middle East Tensions Weigh on Investor Sentiment
UK Economy Begins to Feel Early Impact of Iran Conflict as Policy Challenges Intensify
Russian National Jailed in UK After Assault Case Linked to Barron Trump’s Alert
Energy Price Surge Accelerates Shift Away from Fossil Fuels in UK Homes
UK Museums House More Than 260,000 Human Remains, New Report Reveals
Surging UK Gilt Yields Reflect Inflation Pressures and Fiscal Uncertainty
UK Issues Updated Guidance on Children’s Screen Time with Focus on Balance and Wellbeing
UK Migration Figures Show Shifting Trends Across Asylum, Visas and Channel Crossings
UK Watchdog Launches Probe into Five Firms Over Alleged Fake Reviews and Ratings
Jaguar Land Rover Halts Production at UK Plant Amid Supplier Disruption
UK Police Reverse Position, Confirm Arrests Will Resume for Palestine Action Protests
UK Small Businesses Face Europe’s Steepest Cost Pressures, New Survey Reveals
US Envoy Urges UK to Proceed with King’s Visit Amid Diplomatic Sensitivities
FTSE 100 Drops Over One Percent as Middle East Tensions Weigh on Markets
UK CO2 Plant Set to Reopen as Authorities Move to Safeguard Supplies Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Urges Stronger Defence Investment as He Questions Allied Naval Capabilities
New COVID Variant Detected in UK Raises Concerns Over Vaccine Effectiveness
FTSE Russell Moves to Standardise Free-Float Rules for UK and International Listings
HBO Max Launches in UK and Ireland, Marking Major Step in Global Streaming Expansion
UK Signals Readiness to Seize Russian ‘Shadow Fleet’ Vessels in Escalation of Sanctions Enforcement
Escalating Middle East Conflict Seen as Major Threat to UK Economic Stability
Early Challenges Mark Prince Harry and Meghan’s Australia Visit
UK Government Rejects Cover-Up Claims After Theft of Former PM Aide’s Phone
Cyprus Opens Strategic Talks with UK Over Sovereign Base Areas
UK Faces Risk of Sharp Inflation Surge Despite Stable Pre-Crisis Figures
UK Police Arrest Two Over Suspected Antisemitic Arson as Iran Link Investigated
UK Inflation Holds at Three Percent Ahead of Oil Price Shock from Iran Conflict
UK Fuel Prices Face Upward Pressure as Global Oil Trends Raise Cost Outlook
Girlguiding UK Sets September Deadline for Membership Policy Change Affecting Trans Participants
Germany and UK Accelerate Wind Power Expansion to Strengthen Energy Security
UK Moves to Ban Cryptocurrency Donations to Political Parties Over Foreign Influence Concerns
UK and Turkey Finalise Major Air Defence Agreement Worth Billions
Apple Introduces Mandatory Age Verification for iPhone Users in the UK
Diverging Views Emerge Over Meghan Markle’s Planned Australia Appearance
Trump Signals Frustration with UK Leadership Amid Diverging Approaches to Iran Conflict
UK Government Takes Control of Hunterston B as Landmark Nuclear Decommissioning Begins
UK Public Inflation Expectations Jump Sharply in March, Raising Pressure on Bank of England
×