UK minister resigns in new setback for Johnson

A high-profile member of Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government has resigned in protest against Downing Street's "direction of travel".

David Frost, who led negotiations around the United Kingdom's exit from the European Union and was seen as one of Johnson's most hawkish supporters, said in his resignation letter that he did not like the government's response to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Mail on Sunday newspaper reported that he resigned a week ago, but it was not immediately made public. Frost had intended to leave office in January, but after his pending exit was made public, he said he would go with immediate effect.

"Brexit is now secure," Frost wrote. "I hope we will move as fast as possible to where we need to get to: A lightly regulated, low-tax, entrepreneurial economy at the cutting edge of modern science and economic change."

Frost's resignation followed a series of setbacks for the leader that include renewed criticism of his acceptance of a loan to redecorate his Downing Street apartment and his inadequate declaration of that loan, the Conservative Party's loss of one of its safest parliamentary seats in North Shropshire constituency that the party had held for 200 years, and a revolt by around 100 Conservative Party members of Parliament who opposed stricter antivirus measures.

'Worst week'

Sky News reported that Frost's departure "marks the end of potentially the worst week of Boris Johnson's premiership".

The Evening Standard newspaper quoted Conservative Party MP Andrew Bridgen as saying that" (Johnson is) running out of time and out of friends to deliver on the promises and discipline of a true Conservative government".

"Lord Frost has made it clear, 100 Conservative backbenchers have made it clear, but most importantly, so did the people of North Shropshire," wrote Bridgen in a tweet.

In the BBC's The Andrew Marr Show on Sunday, Health Secretary Sajid Javid said Frost had been an "outstanding public servant" and that he had "resigned out of principle... and we have to respect that".

But he said Frost was wrong to think that the spread of the Omicron variant could be slowed without restrictions.

The BBC quoted Angela Rayner, deputy leader of the opposition Labour Party, as saying that Frost's resignation showed the government was "in total chaos right when the country faces an uncertain few weeks".