I believe that we are all motivated by the national interest and that the public expects
us all all of us to maintain honesty and to maintain Integrity in whatever we do this is not
an abstract matter we've seen in great democracies what happens when divisions are entrenched and not
bridged we cannot allow that to happen here we must bring the country together as one nation
effective Governors inevitably requires loyalty and Collective responsibility of course it does
and I'm instinctively a team player and I have completely focused on governing effectively over
the last year but treading the tightrope between loyalty and integrity has become impossible in
recent months and Mr Speaker I will never risk losing my integrity I also believe a team is as
good as its team captain and that a captain is as good as his or her team so loyalty must go
both ways the events of recent months have made it increasingly difficult to be in that team
it's not fair on ministerial colleagues to go out every morning defending lines that don't
stand up and don't hold up it's not fair on my parliamentary colleagues who bear the brunt of
constituents dismay in their inboxes and on their doorsteps in recent elections and it's not fair on
conservative members and voters who rightly expect better standards from the party they supported
when the first stories of parties in Downing Street emerged late last year
I was personally assured at the most senior level by my right older friends then team
that and I quote there had been no parties in Downing Street and no rules were broken
so I gave the benefit of doubt and I went on those media rounds to say that I'd
had those assurances from the senior most senior level of the prime minister's team
then we had more stories we had the Sue gray report a new Downing street team
I continued to give the benefit of the doubt and now this week again we have reason to question the
truth and integrity of what we've all been told and at some point we have to conclude
that enough is enough I believe that point is now I welcome the prime minister's public
acknowledgment last night that matters could have been handled better in who he had pointed
and what was said about what he knew when and I appreciated his kind and humble words and that
his humble Spirit when I went to see him yesterday and also the kind letter that he has sent to me
but I do fear that the reset button could only work so many times
there's only so many times you can turn that machine on and off before you realize that
something is fundamentally wrong last month I gave the benefit of Doubt one last time
but I haven't concluded that the problem starts at the top that is not going to change
I have concluded that the problem starts at the top and I believe that is not going to change
and that's means that it is for those of us in a position who have responsibility to make that
change I wish my cabinet colleagues well and I I can see they have decided to remain in the cabinet
they will have their own reasons but it is it is a choice I know just how difficult that choice is
but let's be clear not doing something is an active decision