UK’s Boris Johnson ends week of turmoil in weakened position

This was the week British Prime Minister Boris Johnson hoped to get a grip on his government after weeks of scandal. By Friday, he was struggling to hang on after a scathing report on lockdown-breaching parties and the departure of several top aides.

Johnson was rocked Thursday by the resignation of his policy chief, Munira Mirza, a trusted adviser who worked with him for more than a decade. Mirza stood by the prime minister amid "partygate" revelations that Johnson and his staff broke the rules they had imposed on the country. But she said Johnson's "scurrilous accusation" this week that an opposition leader had failed to stop a notorious pedophile was the final straw.

"This was not the normal cut-and-thrust of politics; it was an inappropriate and partisan reference to a horrendous case of child sex abuse," Mirza wrote in a resignation letter, which was published by The Spectator magazine.
After Mirza quit, Johnson's office announced the departure of three more top staffers: chief of staff Dan Rosenfield, communications director Jack Doyle and principal private secretary Martin Reynolds. Elena Narozanski, who worked in Murza's policy unit, resigned Friday.
Johnson tried to reassure staff that he remained in control by quoting the wise monkey Rafiki from "The Lion King," telling a meeting: "Change is good" even if it is difficult.
Conservative lawmakers loyal to Johnson depicted the departures as part of a planned overhaul to restore order to his 10 Downing Street office.

"The prime minister was absolutely clear on Monday that there would be changes at the top of No. 10 and that is what he has delivered," Energy Minister Greg Hands said. "This is the prime minister taking charge."
Others weren't so sure. The prime minister...