tonight at 10:00: we're live in downing street, where borisjohnson is defying a chorus of calls from colleagues for him to resign. as he left for the commons earlier today the prime minister was aware that dozens of ministers and aides were heading for the exit. so far there have been at least 43 resignations — it's a record number for one day — but the prime minister reponded with defiance to critics on his own side. at westminster tonight, the prime minister is determined to hang on and is still hiring and firing.

does the prime minister think there are any circumstances in which he should resign? laughter frankly, mr speaker, the job of a prime minister in difficult circumstances, when he has been handed a colossal mandate, is to keep going, and that's what i'm going to do. anyone quitting now, i after defending all that, hasn't got a shred of integrity. mr speaker, isn't this the first recorded case of the sinking . ships fleeing the rat? speak a short while ago he sacked michael gove — one of the government's most seniorfigures. also tonight... british airways cuts a further 10,000 short—haul flights, from now to the end of october. and in football, england get off to a winning start in the opening match of the women's euros at old trafford coming up on the bbc news channel,

it took more than four hours but rafa nadal is through to the wimbledon semifinals, as his bid for a calendar grand slam continues. good evening from downing street, where borisjohnson is tonight being urged to resign by some of his most senior colleagues, who believe he has clearly lost the confidence of most of his mps. mrjohnson has been inside number ten meeting cabinet colleagues — some of whom still believe he should stay, but most are convinced his time is up. a short while ago, michael gove, one of the government's most prominent members, was sacked by mrjohnson. nadhim zahawi, who was appointed as chancellor last night, is believed to be among those who want mrjohnson to step aside,

as are grant shapps and priti patel — key allies of the prime minister until today. at least 43 ministers and aides have left the government since yesterday, when sajid javid and rishi sunak resigned from the cabinet. mrjohnson told mps earlier today he would not resign, and the message from number ten tonight is that he fully intends fulfil the mandate he won at the last election. with the breaking news about the sacking of michael gove, lets bring in chris mason. what has happened? the prime minister has latched upon a novel technique for dealing with the prospect of cabinet ministers resigning. what is that technique? to sack them. that is what has happened in the last hour, boris johnson, phoning michael gove, sacking him as communities secretary. there is, you might remember, real history between these two men, rewind a few years when the prime minister was initially hoping

to become prime minister, it was michael gove who scuppered his attempts that time round will stop theresa may went on to become prime minister. tonight, he has been sacked. an extraordinary briefing from inside that building tonight, explaining the sacking. describing michael gove, and i quote, as a snake, someone come in the view of the prime minister, who could not be trusted to be a positive articulator of the government message. the latest extraordinary twist in another incredible day here at westminster. let me bring you a flavour of that day in the next few minutes. the front pages, the photographers, the reporters, all asking the same question. is it all over, prime minister? the lenses tilt towards boris johnson leaving downing street, heading for parliament at lunchtime, and prime minister's questions. the difficult questions usually

come from the opposition benches but today they came from conservative mps as well. the prime minister constantly tries to deflect from the issue, always tries to blame other people for mistakes and at least nothing left for him to do other than to take responsibility and resign. applause. today i ask him to do the honourable thing and put the interests of the nation before his own interests and before, in his own words, it does become impossible for government to do itsjob. does the prime minister think there are any circumstances l in which he should resign? laughter. frankly, mr speaker, thejob of a prime minister in difficult circumstances when he has been handed a colossal mandate is to keep going and that is what i'm going to do. and when it was the labour leader's turn, he took aim at those in the cabinet. only in office because no—one else is prepared to debase

themselves any longer, the charge of the lightweight brigade! laughter. have some self respect. in the middle of a crisis, doesn't the country deserve better than a 2 list cast of nodding dogs? the difference between this government and that opposition is we have a plan and they do not. and we are getting on with it. they want to focus on this type of issue, mr speaker, we are going to get on with ourjobs. ian blackford. the scottish national party leader at westminster is often remorselessly barracked by conservative mps. not today. let's face it, it is a minor miracle that the prime minister has- even made it through to i prime minister's questions and he really ought to see - the faces behind him because, prime minister, it really is over. the prime minister is desperately clinging on to his own fantasy- but the public cannot afford to put up with this farce of _ a government a minute longer.

all day it felt at times like every ten minutes or so conservative mps were sending letters saying the prime minister should go. and just take a look at the language chosen by the now former justice minister victoria atkins as she resigned. are we witnessing the collapse of the government, mrjavid? i and from a letter to a resignation statement from the man who just yesterday was borisjohnson�*s health secretary. i call sajid javid. have a look at the body language of the conservative benches as you listen to mrjavid's words. treading the tightrope between loyalty and integrity has become impossible in recent months.

and mr speaker, i will never risk losing my integrity. this week again, we have reason to question the truth and integrity of what we have all been told. and at some point we have to conclude that enough is enough. i believe that point is now. he said he had been patient, hoping things would improve. but i do fear that the reset button can only work so many times. there is only so many times you can turn that machine on and off before you realise that something is fundamentally wrong. and then there was this, a public, laser—guided attack on those still in borisjohnson�*s cabinet. they will have their own reasons but it is a choice. i knowjust how difficult that choice is. but let's be clear.

not doing something is an active decision. i am deeply concerned about how the next generation will see the conservative party on our current course. can i say to the house, there will be no more i personal statements today. bye, boris! but he was back again, down the corridor, if you hours later, facing the liaison committee of senior backbenchers.— the liaison committee of senior backbenchers. ~ , ., , backbenchers. prime minister, how is all we going? — terrific. it turns out that they have been keeping up with the news. has been re orted keeping up with the news. has been reported there _ keeping up with the news. has been reported there is _ keeping up with the news. has been reported there is a _ keeping up with the news. has been reported there is a group _ keeping up with the news. has been reported there is a group of - keeping up with the news. has been reported there is a group of your. reported there is a group of your colleagues at downing street, waiting to tell you when you finish here today that it is time to go. how would you respond? you are

askin: how would you respond? you are asking me _ how would you respond? you are asking me to _ how would you respond? you are asking me to comment... - how would you respond? you are asking me to comment... i - how would you respond? you are l asking me to comment... i am not going _ asking me to comment... i am not going to _ asking me to comment... i am not going to give — asking me to comment... i am not going to give a running commentary on political— going to give a running commentary on political events, i am going to -et on political events, i am going to get on _ on political events, i am going to get on with— on political events, i am going to get on with the government and the country _ get on with the government and the count . , ., . ., , country. this morning, community secretary michael _ country. this morning, community secretary michael gove went - country. this morning, community secretary michael gove went to . country. this morning, community| secretary michael gove went to see the prime minister to tell him he thought he should resign. in the last hour, the man who yesterday sat around boris johnson's last hour, the man who yesterday sat around borisjohnson's cabinet around boris johnson's cabinet table was sacked by him, with a around borisjohnson's cabinet table was sacked by him, with a number 10 source describing michael gove as a snake. this was the scene in downing street this evening. drivers hanging around while cabinet ministers went inside. some are saying mrjohnson should go, others are saying he should go, others are saying he should stay. the culture secretary is still supported. i5 should stay. the culture secretary is still supported.— is still supported. is anyone else back in the _ is still supported. is anyone else back in the prime _ is still supported. is anyone else back in the prime minister? - is still supported. is anyone else| back in the prime minister? yes! westminster— back in the prime minister? yes! westminster is _ back in the prime minister? yes! westminster is a _ back in the prime minister? yes! westminster is a postcode defined by power. today has been defined by its draining away from boris johnson. but draining away from borisjohnson. but he is not shifting. at draining away from boris johnson. but he is not shifting. at least yet.