PM’s brother Jo Johnson quits over Brexit

PM's brother Jo Johnson quits over Brexit

UNITED KINGDOM

Says….’I’ve been torn between family and national interest’

The announcement adds to a bruising week for the PM, who is reeling from four defeats in the Commons in two days.

The prime minister’s brother has quit as a government minister and MP as he cited an “unresolvable tension” between “family loyalty and the national interest”.

Jo Johnson, who was appointed to government by Boris Johnson in July, used his Twitter account to announce it was “time for others to take on my roles as MP & Minister”.

He wrote: “It’s been an honour to represent Orpington for 9 years & to serve as a minister under three PMs.

“In recent weeks I’ve been torn between family loyalty and the national interest – it’s an unresolvable tension.”

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Jo Johnson, who will stand down as an MP at the next general election, attended the cabinet in his role as universities minister.

His resignation on Thursday is the second time he has quit government in 10 months.

He quit Theresa May’s government last November in protest at the ex-PM’s Brexit strategy and to call for a second EU referendum.


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