Simon Hart has resigned as Secretary of State for Wales after Boris Johnson refused to stand down despite calls from some of his own cabinet ministers to do so.
Mr Hart was previously among cabinet ministers who told Mr Johnson he should heed the prevailing opinion in the Conservative Party and resign, Sky News understands.
A senior Number 10 source told Sky News that Mr Johnson remained “absolutely defiant” and had “no intention of resigning”, adding that the prime minister wanted to “keep fighting”.
Politics Hub: Boris Johnson tells cabinet ministers ‘no I won’t go’
Mr Hart had been in the role since 2019.
In his letter to Mr Johnson, Mr Hart said: “I have never been a big fan of ministerial resignations as the best means of forcing change.
“Colleagues have done everything they could privately and publicly to help you turn the ship around, but I feel sadly that we have passed the point where that is possible.”
Mr Hart became the third cabinet minister to resign, following former health secretary Sajid Javid and chancellor Rishi Sunak.
Mr Johnson has sacked his promotion secretary Michael Gove, who is believed to be one of the first sitting ministers to indicate he is unhappy with the prime minister remaining in his post.
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