Boris Johnson WON’T resign as he desperately clings on to PM job despite resignations hitting 46 on darkest day

BORIS Johnson was last night digging in against a full-scale Cabinet coup in a final gamble to save his imploding premiership.

Johnson is understood to have stared down the Quit Squad of top Ministers who told him to the game was up and he should go.

In an assassination attempt with echoes of Margaret Thatcher's removal, Cabinet members saw him individually to demand his resignation.

He is now expected to carry out a reshuffle as other Cabinet Ministers eyed up deserting his battered administration.

He also needs to replace the 46Tory MPs who have resigned in protest at his leadership, which has spiralled since the Chris Pincher scandal erupted last week.

Mr Johnson's act of defiance sets up a spectacular showdown on Monday where rebels are set to push for a fresh leadership vote.

On a dramatic day in Westminster:

• A "Quit Squad" of once Boris allies filed into his office to tell him to leave
• Nearly 40 Tory MPs resigned as government ministers or aides
• Dozens of backbench Conservatives withdrew their support for the PM
• Mr Johnson remained defiant at two Commons grillings
• He faced more accusations around the Chris Pincher scandal

Cabinet Ministers including Zahawi, Grant Shapps and Simon Hart tonight filed into No10 where they were expected to call curtains.

Even previous ultra loyalist Priti Patel turned and demanded the PM stood down.

But one Cabinet Minister told The Sun: "The PM is going to fight."

Mr Johnson has been reeling from the Chris Pincher groping scandal first revealed by The Sun last Thursday.

The crisis climaxed in the past 24 hours when Rishi Sunak and Sajid Javid both quit the Cabinet and called for him to go.

It fired the starting gun on a wave of ministerial resignations that has so far swelled to more than 46 Tories.

Previously loyal Conservative backbenchers also withdrew their support and demanded the PM steps down for the good of the party and country.

The PM told the Commons: "The job of a prime minister in difficult circumstances when he's been handed a colossal mandate is to keep going - and that's what I'm going to do."

And in a surreal Liaison committee session yesterday afternoon Mr Johnson pretended it was business as usual.

He said "of course" he'll be PM on Thursday.

Five Ministers all quit on masse shortly after 2.30pm as the torrent of resignations got quicker in 24 hours of hell for the PM.

Ex-Health Secretary Mr Javid attempted to deliver the fatal blow with a blistering resignation speech in the packed Commons.

The big beast said: "At some point we have to conclude that enough is enough. I believe that point is now.

"The reset button can only work so many times. There's only so many times you can turn that machine on and off before you realise something is fundamentally wrong."

He added: "The problem starts at the top, it's not going to change."

More Conservative rebels stuck the knife in during PMQs and asked if there was anything that would make him resign.

Mr Johnson tried to turn the tables onto Sir Keir Starmer, accusing him of scheming to "overturn the will of the British people and take us back into Europe".

The Labour leader shot back: "What a pathetic spectacle that the dying act of his political career is to parrot that nonsense."

And rubbing salt in the wounds of all the resignations, he added: "Isn't this the first recorded case of the sinking ships fleeing the rats."

The PM was met with loud boos and shouts of “shame” from the Labour benches as he walked in.

On his own side Tory MPs were awkward and quiet despite whips trying to rally them to cheer.

Simon Hart has resigned as Welsh Secretary, saying he wanted to help Boris Johnson “turn the ship around” but “we have passed the point where this is possible”.

The only clapping from government back benches came when Red Wall MP Gary Sambrook begged the PM to "take responsibility and resign".

The floodgates of mutiny opened this morning as Will Quince and Robin Walker left their jobs as education ministers while Treasury minister John Glen followed Rishi Sunak out the door.

Desperate to stem the tide of rebellion after being ambushed with Mr Quince's resignation live on air, new Chancellor Mr Zahawi toured TV studios urging MPs to throw down their knives.

He said: "All I would say to my colleagues is people don't vote for divided teams."

It came after rising start Tory MP Ms Trott quit as an aide to the Transport Secretary.

She said that "trust in politics is - and must always be - of the upmost importance, but sadly in recent months this has been lost".

Mr Quince quit as children's minister after being sent out earlier in the week to defend the PM over the Chris Pincher scandal.

The line the Tory MP was given by No10 later turned out to be incorrect.

In a stinging resignation letter he said: "Thank you for meeting with me yesterday evening and for your sincere apology regarding the briefings I received from No10 ahead of Monday's media round, which we now know to be inaccurate.

"It is with great sadness and regret that I feel that I have no choice but to tender my resignation as minister for children and families as I accepted and repeated those assurances in good faith."

Schools Standards Minister Robin Walker piled in: "The loss of the Rishi Sunak and the Sajid Javid this week, two of our brightest talents from the top team, reflects a worrying narrowing of the broad church that I believe any Conservative Government should seek to achieve."

Mr Sunak was livid that yesterday's massive National Insurance cut was being overshadowed by No10’s “lack of focus, grip and competence” after months of rolling scandals.

In a blistering resignation letter, he said: “The public rightly expects government to be conducted properly, competently and seriously.

“I recognise this may be my last ministerial job, but I believe these standards are worth fighting for and that is why I am resigning.”

After months of tension between No10 and No11 over tax cuts, borrowing and inflation, Mr Sunak warned it was time for the public to “hear the truth”.

But Mr Johnson hit back that he would finally now be able to cut taxes without being blocked by his nervous neighbour — as he promoted Nadhim Zahawi to take the reins of the nation’s finances in troubled times.

The PM told MPs on Wednesday: “I know you’re all avidly in favour of tax cuts and tonight’s events might make that a bit easier to deliver.”

Another key loyalist Steve Barclay - who had been serving as the PM’s chief of staff - took over running the NHS.

Mr Javid demanded the PM throw in the towel for the good of the Conservative Party — and the country after his handling of Partygate and Gropegate.