A total of 44 people have resigned from the government – with one more sacked – since Sajid Javid set the ball rolling yesterday evening. Simon Hart became the third Cabinet minister to resign, stepping down from his position as Welsh Secretary. He wrote in his resignation letter: “I have never been a massive fan of Ministerial resignations being the best means of forcing change. “Colleagues have done their upmost in private and public to help you turn the ship around, but it is with sadness that I feel we have passed the point where this is possible”. Edward Argar, minister of state for health, also handed in his resignation. Bury North MP James Daly resigned as a parliamentary private secretary for the Department for Work and Pensions stating he has “lost confidence” in the prime minister. Michael Gove, the levelling up secretary, was sacked by Johnson with sources saying it was due to his “disloyalty” for being among the members of the Cabinet urging Johnson to quit. Following the sacking of Gove, Danny Kruger stood down as a PPS in the levelling up department. James Duddridge, who is one of Boris Johnson’s PPSs, told Sky News the PM is in a “buoyant mood and will fight on”. And he said Johnson is planning a joint announcement on Thursday with Nadhim Zahawi, the new chancellor. Suella Braverman, the attorney general, says there is an overwhelming sense of despair among Conservative MPs and “the time has come for the PM to step down”. She told the Peston programme on ITV it is “untenable” for him to continue as leader. Priti Patel was one of the delegation of cabinet ministers urging Johnson to go, an ally confirmed. It is understood the home secretary was concerned the government would be unable to function with so many posts unfilled. David Duguid resigned as a trade envoy for Angola and Zambia, James Sunderland MP resigned as a PPS to the environment department, Peter Gibson resigned as a PPS to the international trade department. The Conservative 1922 Committee has decided not to change the leadership election rules. But on Monday next week elections will take place for the executive.