British Health Secretary Sajid Javid and Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak resign

In a moment that was not predicted, the UK’s health secretary Sajid Javid and the chancellor of the exchequer handed in their resignation letters less than an hour ago.

Sajid Javid, the UK’s health secretary, has resigned, along with chancellor of the exchequer Rishi Sunak.

The former health secretary left a letter addressed to Boris Johnson announcing his departure, which reads as follows:

It was a privilege to have been asked to come back into government to serve as secretary of state, for health and social care at such a critical time for our country. I have given every ounce of energy to this task, and am incredibly proud of what we have achieved.

The UK has led the world in learning to live with Covid. Thanks to the amazing rollout of our booster programme, investment in treatments and innovations in the way we deliver healthcare, the British people have enjoyed months more freedom than other comparable countries.

We have also made important strides in the recovery and reform on NHS and adult social care. The longest waiters are down by 70% and as you know, I have been working hard on wider modernisation of the NHS, I have also developed radical new approaches to dementia, cancer and mental health outcomes for communities that have been left behind for too long.

Given the unprecedented scale of the challenges in health and social care, it has been my instinct to continue focusing on this important work. So it is with enormous regret that I must tell you that I can no longer, in good conscience continue serving in this government, I am instinctively a team player but the British people also rightly expect integrity from their government.

The tone you set as a leader, and the values you represent, reflect on your colleagues, your party and ultimately the country. Conservatives at their best are seen as hard-headed decision-makers, guided by strong values. We may not have always been popular, but we have been competent in acting in the national interest. sadly in the current circumstances, the public is concluding that we are now neither. The vote of confidence last month showed that a large number of our colleagues agree. it was a moment of humility, grip and new direction, I regret to say, however, that it is clear to me that this situation will not change under your leadership and you have therefore lost my confidence too.