BORIS Johnson’s parties in Downing Street have left many expecting a resignation or, more likely, a no-confidence-vote in the Prime Minister.  

However, Johnson has refused to say if he will resign if issued a fine by the Metropolitan police as he is accused of breaking his own lockdown rules.

Here is a list of the worst things Tory ministers have done without resigning. Please vote in the poll to decide which scandal is worst. 

Priti Patel 

Patel was found to have broken the ministerial code in 2020 when she was accused of bullying staff across several government departments, including the Home Office. Her former permanent secretary, Philip Rutnam, accused her of a “vicious and orchestrated campaign” against him in the media for supporting alleged victims of bullying. He subsequently resigned his post.  

The Guardian reported that a Cabinet Office investigation found evidence that Patel had breached the ministerial code. However, as sole arbiter of the rules, Johnson supported the Home Secretary and ignored calls for her to be sacked.  

Rutnam eventually sued Patel for forcing him out of his post and was awarded a £340,000 settlement with a further £30,000 in costs.

The National: Priti Patel was found to have broken the Ministerial CodePriti Patel was found to have broken the Ministerial Code

Dominic Raab 

The former foreign secretary was sunning himself on a Greek island as the Taliban took over Afghanistan during the UK-US military withdrawal. The Guardian reported that Raab delegated a phone call over the rescue of Afghan translators to Zac Goldsmith, a Foreign Office junior minister.  

Another report in the Sunday Times alleged that Raab ignored a request from the Prime Minister to immediately return to the UK while arguing that he should be allowed to stay another two days. The UK had been involved in the military occupation of Afghanistan for over 20 years, resulting in 457 UK deaths. 

The National: Raab was busy getting a sun tan during the military withdrawal from AfghanistanRaab was busy getting a sun tan during the military withdrawal from Afghanistan

Matt Hancock 

Although he eventually resigned after breaking Covid restrictions by kissing his aide Gina Coladangelo, Hancock had previous scandals mire his time as health secretary. In 2021, he acted unlawfully when he didn't publish details of PPE supply contracts that his department signed off on.

The law clearly stated that the Government was required to publish a "contract award notice" within 30 days of the awarding of any contracts for public goods or services worth more than £120,000. 

Allegations of “cronyism” quickly followed as shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves described the Government’s awarding of contracts as “plagued by a lack of transparency, cronyism and waste”. 

The National: Hancock eventually resigned over kissing an aide on cameraHancock eventually resigned over kissing an aide on camera

Jeremy Hunt 

In 2018, The Guardian reported that Jeremy Hunt, then health secretary, had breached money laundering rules after getting a “bulk discount” on seven luxury flats from a major Tory donor. Hunt was compelled to apologise for failing to disclose his part-ownership of the company that bought the properties. 

While he refused to declare the price he paid for the flats he claimed that he paid “standard market rates”. Hunt was found to have breached the MP’s Code of Conduct and the Companies Act. A spokesperson for Hunt blamed his accountant and claimed that they were “honest administrative mistakes”. 

The National: Hunt apologised over the scandal but insisted that the error was the fault of his accountantHunt apologised over the scandal but insisted that the error was the fault of his accountant