Boris Johnson news – live: Ex-minister Gibb submits no-confidence letter as PM struggles to stave off coup

Johnson to herald Queen’s ‘tireless service’

Boris Johnson may be facing his own crisis of leadership, but this weekend he will attempt to turn the attention of the nation to the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, which is being celebrated across the country.

The prime minister is expected to make a public statement marking the monarch’s 70 years on the throne, praising her “tireless service” and “historic reign”.

Elizabeth II came to the throne 70 years ago this Sunday when, on 6 February 1952, the ailing King George VI – who had lung cancer – died at Sandringham in the early hours.

A Number 10 source said: “You can expect the Prime Minister to praise Her Majesty’s tireless service and historic reign to mark the occasion.”

Earlier this week, Mr Johnson told MPs: “While it is a moment for national celebration it will be a day of mixed emotions for Her Majesty as the day also marks 70 years since the death of her beloved father, George VI.

“I know that the whole House will want to join me in thanking Her Majesty for her tireless service.

“We look forward to celebrating her historic reign with a series of national events in June.”

Elsewhere, the Archbishop of Canterbury praised the Queen for “doing the right thing” by sitting alone at the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral.

Justin Welby also commended her for showing “duty, leadership and character”.

In an interview with the BBC, he said: “The clearest moment for me, the absolute summit of that, was that at the funeral of her husband of 70-something years, she sat alone.

“That was leadership, it was doing the right thing, it was duty, it set an example.”

The remarks are likely to draw further comparisons to how Covid rules were observed in Downing Street amid the public backlash over “Partygate”. It has been reported that Number 10 offered the palace an exemption to the Covid restrictions for Prince Philip’s funeral, but that the Queen refused.

Now aged 95, the Queen has seen 14 prime ministers come and go from her first, the Second World War leader Sir Winston Churchill, to the present premiere Mr Johnson.