Tories Quit: What did MP Sajid Javid say in resignation speech in the House of Commons?

“The reset button can only work so many times,” said the former health secretary.

Conservative former health secretary Sajid Javid spoke to the House of Commons after Prime Minister’s Questions today in a personal statement that outlined his reason for resigning from his ministerial position yesterday. He appealed to both the public, backbenchers from all parties, and Conservative Cabinet ministers still holding their positions.

Here’s what Mr Javid said in his statement.

What did Sajid Javid say in the House of Commons today?

In his resignation statement, with Boris Johnson watching on, Conservative former health secretary Sajid Javid told MPs: "It is incumbent on all of us to set high standards for ourselves and to take action when they are not met by others."

"I also believe a team is as good as its team captain and a captain is as good as his or her team. So, loyalty must go both ways,” the MP went on. “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 the doorsteps in recent elections. And it's not fair on Conservative members and voters who rightly expect better standards from the party they supported."

Britain's outgoing health secretary Sajid Javid makes a statement during the weekly session of Prime Minister's Questions at the House of Commons. Photo: HANDOUT/PRU/AFP via Getty Images.

Sajid Javid told the Commons he gave the Prime Minister the benefit of the doubt on partygate, but added "I do fear that the reset button can only work so many times".

He said: "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 honourable friend's 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 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."

Mr Javid said he appreciated the Prime Minister's "kind and humble words, and his humble spirit when I went to see him yesterday".

He added: "But I do fear that the reset button can only work so many times. There's only so many times you can turn that machine on and off before you realise that something is fundamentally wrong."

Mr Javid went on to say: "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."

The MP also spoke directly to the Cabinet ministers still holding their positions and supporting the Prime Minister that not acting is in itself a decision, highlighting that they are making the active decision to stand by Boris Johnson amongst the ongoing scandals.

Additional reporting by PA.