Michael Gove tells Boris Johnson to step down as 5 ministers quit immediately saying 'step down'

Leveling-Up secretary reportedly told PM game over - in meeting that emerged as five ministers wrote to PM Minister at once to tell him to "step aside"

Michael Gove on the phone near Parliament earlier today (

Image: Peter Macdiarmid/LNP)

Michael Gove has called on the Prime Minister to step down as more and more ministers continue to submit their resignation letters.

The upgrade secretary, who is usually quick to support Mr Johnson, was notably absent from Prime Ministers Questions this afternoon.

Mr. Gove told Mr Johnson to step down as he helped the Prime Minister prepare for PMQs, the Mail originally reported.

Several departmental sources had told the Mirror that Mr Gove was 'out of the gate', but a source close to Mr Gove denied the claims, insisting he was still working within the department.< /p>

But the source did not deny that Mr Gove had urged the Prime Minister to resign.

This came as five prominent Tory ministers wrote to the Prime Minister to resign and tell him to 'step down' in a single letter.

Kemi Badenoch, Neil O'Brien, Alex Burghart, Lee Rowley and Julia Lopez brought the total number of people who have resigned from government to 26 - including 14 ministers - as of 6pm yesterday.

Boris Johnson alongside Michael Gove at a Brexit conference (

Picture:

REUTERS)

Seconds later, Mims Davies resigned as Minister for Jobs, followed by Rachel Maclean leaving her post at the Home Office, bringing the total to 28.

It comes after former Health Secretary Sajid Javid warned Conservative cabinet ministers that 'doing nothing is an active decision' as he split the leadership of Boris Johnson in the Commons.

Ms Davies said she was leaving with a 'very heavy heart' but had become 'increasingly concerned' in recent months about 'your Premiership, those around you and the leadership of our great party and what we really stand for".

She added, "I really struggled to make this decision because I'm deeply attached to...