Boris Johnson was visibly shocked when former Tory Brexit secretary David Davis begged him to quit over the Westminster party scandal in a bruising Prime Minister’s Questions encounter.
In a brutal Commons session, the under-fire PM was attacked from his own side, watched one of his MPs defect to Labour in front of him, and was openly mocked by Sir Keir Starmer and the SNP’s Ian Blackford.
Mr Davis completed the cross-party onslaught by comparing the ailing Tory leader to Second World War PM Neville Chamberlain – demanding: “In the name of God, go”.
Here is how each party added to the prime minister’s misery as his political fortunes appeared to sink.
SNP mock ‘Operation Dog’s Dinner’
SNP Westminster chief Mr Blackford claimed “Operation Big Dog” – an alleged name for the plan to save Mr Johnson – had turned into “Operation Dog’s Dinner”.
He said the prime minister’s excuses for breaking lockdown during the Westminster garden party in May 2020 were “pathetic” and “ludicrous”.
The SNP MP added: “The prime minister laughing at the British public once again. Nobody believes him. Will the prime minister finally take responsibility? Resign.
“With every day that passes this Tory government loses more credibility. Show the prime minister the door.”
The Tory leader was later mocked by the SNP again, as MP Stephen Flynn asked whether he was scrapping Covid rules in England because he doesn’t understand them.
Sir Keir Starmer goads PM excuses
Labour chief Sir Keir Starmer was gleeful as he ripped into his Tory rival and mocked his excuses over lockdown parties.
The opposition boss said the prime minister’s defence for attending the Downing Street garden party was “absurd” and “extraordinary”.
Toying with the Tory leader, he joked that the party’s chief whip had told MPs to “bring their own booze” to Westminster.
Mr Johnson continued to resist calls to resign and said he would instead wait for the results of Sue Gray’s inquiry to emerge before saying more.
Tory MP defects to Labour
Bury South MP Christian Wakeford defected to Sir Keir’s party just moments before Prime Minister’s Questions began in a shocking switch.
The ex-Tory politician – who was first elected in 2019 – stunned his former colleagues as he sat behind his new boss on the frontbenches.
Sir Keir offered a “warm welcome” to Mr Wakeford after his remarkable defection and joked any Conservatives tired with their leader were free to follow suit.
Mr Johnson defiantly insisted the Tories would regain the Bury seat when the next election is held.
Scottish Tory MP Andrew Bowie had been left shocked live on TV as he learned of Mr Wakeford’s bombshell decision to join Labour.
North East Fife Lib Dem goes first
Scottish Liberal Democrat MP Wendy Chamberlain claimed Mr Johnson was taking the British people for “fools” before he was goaded by Sir Keir.
She reminded the prime minister he had initially claimed no lockdown parties took place at all before evidence later emerged this was untrue.
Ms Chamberlain said: “The people of North East Fife are being clear to me now: no matter the excuse, there is no excuse for taking the British people for fools.”
She was first to ask a question at Wednesday’s PMQs, and first to call for a resignation in the session.
Tory MP David Davis completes the cross-party pressure
To round off the humiliation, David Davis said he expected Mr Johnson to take the blame for his errors and blasted his excuses over attending the Downing Street garden party.
He echoed calls from Scottish Tory boss Douglas Ross last week for the UK leader to go as he lambasted him in the House of Commons.
He said: I expect my leaders to shoulder the responsibility for the actions they take. Yesterday he did the opposite of that.
“So I’ll remind him of a quotation all together too familiar to him of Leo Amery to Neville Chamberlain. ‘You have sat there too long for all the good you have done, in the name of God go’.”
A number of Tory MPs have already submitted letters indicating the Tory leader should be ousted to the party’s 1922 committee.
All Scottish Conservative MSPs north of the border joined their leader last week in calling for Mr Johnson’s resignation.
Before PMQs Tory MP Andrew Bowie said the prime minister should be “considering his position”.
What did Boris Johnson say?
The prime minister repeatedly rejected calls to quit and said parliament must wait for Sue Gray’s report on party allegations and rule-breaking.
Responding to Mr Davis’s clear demand, Churchill biographer Mr Johnson replied: “I must say to him, I don’t know what he is talking about.”