A hunt was on for Boris Johnson in Westminster today as Brexiteers called on him to be a ‘hero’ and follow David Davis out of the Cabinet.
The Foreign Secretary reportedly did not take part in a meeting of the Cobra emergency committee as planned.
Environment Secretary Michael Gove and Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt declined to comment as they left the meeting this afternoon.
And he has not yet arrived at a major summit on the Western Balkans in the capital, sparking fevered speculation as to his whereabouts. He is due to give a press conference at 5pm.
Germany’s Europe Minister Michael Roth tweeted this afternoon he was still waiting for Mr Johnson to arrive at the summit as ‘host’.
Mr Johnson’s official car and police outriders were outside his official residence on Carlton Gardens this afternoon.
All eyes are on Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson after the resignation of David Davis. The two men are pictured together at a Westminster party last week
Mr Johnson has not been seen in public since he left the special Chequers Cabinet meeting late on Friday night (pictured)
Mr Davis’ resignation is a huge blow to Mrs May, pictured at Downing Street today. She has promoted Dominic Raab (pictured at No10 today), who campaigned for Brexit in the referendum, to the key post. She could need a new Foreign Secretary within hours
Officers twice warned journalists the Foreign Secretary was about to leave, only to then say they had been told to stand by.
Sources close to the Foreign Secretary could not be raised amid chaos in Westminster triggered by the former Brexit Secretary’s sudden walkout last night.
Eurosceptic MPs have warned Mr Johnson he will blow his chance of ever becoming Tory leader if he does not come out against Mrs May’s Brexit plan.
Backbencher Andrea Jenkyns said: ‘The time has come that we need a Brexiteer prime minister, someone who believes in Brexit…
‘Theresa May’s premiership is over.’
Former Ukip leader Nigel Farage urged Mr Johnson to be a ‘hero’.
He tweeted: ‘Boris Johnson now has the chance to save Brexit, he will be a hero if he walks away from the betrayal of voters’ trust.’
Nigel Farage urged Mr Johnson to be a ‘hero’ and follow Mr Davis out of the exit door to ‘save Brexit’
David Davis (pictured after an interview in London this morning) has plunged Theresa May into chaos by resigning and condemning her Brexit plan
Earlier, Mr Davis stopped short today of urging Mr Johnson to follow him out of the door, and said he hoped Mrs May would not be forced from power.
‘It’s not for me to make other people’s decisions. These decisions are very very hard to make,’ he said.
It was claimed today by the Evening Standard that Mr Davis had tried to persuade the Foreign Secretary to resign alongside him last night.
Mr Johnson was warned last night he had to resign or lose forever his hopes of being Prime Minister.
Mr Johnson is understood to have denounced the Prime Minister’s plan as a ‘turd’ during the Cabinet meeting at Chequers, before agreeing to support it.
Germany’s Europe Minister Michael Roth tweeted this afternoon he was still waiting for Mr Johnson to arrive at the summit as ‘host’