Wednesday evening UK news briefing: Cabinet ministers poised to tell Boris Johnson he must resign

This looks like the endgame.

A group of Cabinet ministers – including the new Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi – are planning to confront Boris Johnson this evening and tell him that he must step down as Prime Minister.

The Telegraph understands that Brandon Lewis, the Northern Ireland Secretary, Grant Shapps, the Transport Secretary, and Simon Hart, the Welsh Secretary, are among those who are preparing to make the intervention .

Mr Zahawi is also understood to be involved, with the push against the Prime Minister being coordinated by Chief Whip Chris Heaton-Harris.

It comes as Mr Johnson continues to suffer a brutal wave of resignations.

As this email was sent, 35 Tory MPs had left Government roles in the last 24 hours.

Yet Mr Johnson told MPs at Prime Minister’s Questions and the liaison committee that he intends to “keep going”.

Our live blog is your first point of call for breaking news.

Our Government resignation tracker tells you who has quit and when they left .

It comes as senior figures in the 1922 Committee of Tory backbenchers met today amid discussions about changing the rules so Mr Johnson could face another confidence vote.

After Prime Minister’s Questions, Sajid Javid urged Cabinet ministers to walk out and bring down Mr Johnson, warning them the Prime Minister risks tarnishing the Tories for a generation if he stays in power.

The former health secretary, who quit last night over Mr Johnson’s handling of the Chris Pincher scandal, told those still propping up the Government that “not doing something is an active decision” in an excoriating resignation speech. Read it in full .

Snap election

Labour was gearing up for a snap election amid talk Mr Johnson could call a quickfire vote to head off rebel Tory MPs who are mounting a fresh bid to oust him from No 10.

Sir Keir Starmer said his party wants to see the country go to the polls immediately to secure a “fresh start for Britain” after the Prime Minister was rocked by a Cabinet coup and backbench mutiny.

“This Government is collapsing, the Tory party is corrupted, and changing one man at the top of the Tory party won’t fix the problems,” he said today.

This video shows what the public think of the Prime Minister and as the numbers calling for him to resign grow, Janet Daley says for Mr Johnson’s own sake, this has to end quickly .

Zahawi for PM?

The Conservative Party has an unwritten rule when it comes to replacing their leader while in government: they must always have held one of the great offices of state.

While the Tories might be prepared to gamble on a relatively untested leader in opposition, like David Cameron and, to a lesser extent, Margaret Thatcher, they always play it safe while they are running the country.

Boris Johnson had been foreign secretary. Theresa May had been home secretary. John Major had been chancellor.

So for those who saw Nadhim Zahawi as a potential leader, he had one major gap on his CV – until now.

Gordon Rayner and Louisa Clarence-Smith analyse why Mr Zahawi could be heading to the very top (and fast).

Here are the other runners and riders who could replace Mr Johnson .

Evening briefing: Today’s essential headlines

• Macron to nationalise EDF | France faces up to threat of blackouts
• Holiday homes | Welsh First Minister admits owning a ‘chalet’
• Ukraine war | Russia ‘destroys’ two US-made Himars rocket systems
• Maya Forstater | Tax expert wins tribunal over trans tweets
• Trans role | Friends creator apologises for using male pronouns

Comment and analysis

• Nigel Farage | Tories have golden opportunity if they get rid of PM
• David Liddington | Ministers are facing a decision on staying loyal
• Ben Marlow | GSK’s break-up is a huge test for post-Brexit Britain
• Madeline Grant | Lockdown hysteria is still ruining Britain
• Allison Pearson | It’s time we learnt what our children are taught

Around the world: Taliban excavate getaway car

The car used by the founder of the Taliban to escape US forces in 2001 has been excavated in Afghanistan, according to senior figures in the movement who claim it is still in excellent condition. Photographs shared online showed labourers using shovels to unearth a battered Toyota Corolla said to have been used by Mullah Mohammad Omar. Mullah Omar is said to have used the car to flee the Taliban capital of Kandahar in the dying days of his regime, as he pulled off a remarkable disappearing act. The one-eyed fugitive avoided American troops and spies for the rest of his life, despite being one of the most wanted men in the world. Read why Taliban figures want the estate car to be preserved in the Afghan National Museum because of its historical significance.

Wednesday interview

‘I’m not sure Ukrainians will want to see Swan Lake ever again’

The great choreographer Alexei Ratmansky talks to Helen Brown about reinventing ‘Giselle’ for the Ukrainian cause

Read the interview

Sport briefing: Nadal and Kyrgious in action

Rafael Nadal battled Taylor Fritz in the Wimbledon quarter-finals, while Nick Kyrgios has taken on Cristian Garin . Elsewhere, transgender women are to be banned from female triathlons even if they have not gone through male puberty. British Triathlon has become the first national governing body (NGB) to publish a new trans policy following the toxic row to gulf sport over swimmer Lia Thomas and cyclist Emily Bridges. Following their 30-28 defeat by Australia in the first Test on Saturday, England know they cannot afford another slip-up in the second match this weekend. Our writers have selected their 23s for second Test – and you can pick yours. Here is the latest after stage five of the Tour de France where the peloton hit cobbles as riders entered “hell” .

Editor’s choice

1. Bouncy waves | The new sleek hairdo loved by Wimbledon royalty
2. Garden makeovers | The secret planning permission you need to permit you to build
3. Mercator projection | 14 of the most surprising geographical misconceptions

Business briefing: Bank of England misled the markets

The Bank of England misled markets over the pace of interest rate rises , its chief economist has admitted. Huw Pill said the Monetary Policy Committee’s repeated commitments to “further tightening” indicated it would steadily increase the cost of borrowing in small, steady increments. The language – which Mr Pill described as “a trap” – was used following meetings at the end of the last year and early this year. Anyone wanting to know why the Bank is tightening its policy may want to look at what is happening in Turkey, as Tom Rees paints a picture of what hyperinflation looks like . It comes as a top analyst has warned Britain’s fresh political crisis and the threat of Russia cutting off energy supplies to Europe have rendered the pound and the euro “unbuyable” .

Tonight starts now

Football: Women's Euro 2022 | England kick off Euro 2022 as hosts and, after their 5-1 thrashing of the Netherlands last week, as favourites in some eyes. First up, they face Austria at Old Trafford (kick-off 8pm) live on BBC One. The Lionesses will be hoping to progress beyond the semi-final defeats that have plagued them of late. Tom Garry says England have to win Euro 2022 – they will never get a chance like this again . Tomorrow, also in Group A, Northern Ireland face a strong Norway side at St Mary’s (BBC One, 7.30pm). Here are tonight’s TV listings .

Three things for you

• Fashion | The expert’s guide to clothes that quietly ‘wow’
• Art | Lucian Freud: The Painter and His Family, review
• PlusWord | Try the Telegraph’s exciting new game for free

And finally… for this evening’s downtime

Is Russell Group worth it? | The average graduate finishes their university education £45,000 in debt, so an institution’s record in creating high-earning leavers is an important factor. Read on for the universities that will get you the highest paying jobs .

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