INTERNATIONAL: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Chief of Staff Dan Rosenfield has resigned on Thursday ,February 3, Downing Street has confirmed. Another senior aide, Johnson's Principal Private Secretary, Martin Reynolds, was among four of the prime minister's closest allies to leave his office on the same day. Director of Communications Jack Doyle and his head of policy Munira Mirza have also resigned.

Johnson's premiership is facing a growing crisis in the wake of anger over a series of alcohol-fuelled parties held at his Downing Street office and residence during coronavirus lockdowns, a scandal which followed a series of other missteps.

In a tumultuous day for his government, Johnson's finance minister Rishi Sunak have also criticised him over a barb he made about the main opposition leader - the issue , his head of policy Munira Mirza has cited as her reason for quitting.

Three of the officials were directly linked to the Downing Street gatherings and two senior Conservatives have said it looked like the start of a reset in Johnson's administration.

Johnson's office has said his Chief of Staff Dan Rosenfield and his principal private secretary,Martin Reynolds would remain in their posts for the time being.

Earlier this week, Johnson has promised an overhaul of his Downing Street operation after a report criticized "serious failures of leadership" over a series of gatherings which were held there during COVID-19 lockdowns.

Amid plummeting popularity ratings and open calls for his resignation from some of his own lawmakers, Johnson has also been condemned for accusing Labour Party leader Keir Starmer of failing to prosecute Jimmy Savile, one of Britain's worst sex offenders, during his time as Director of Public Prosecutions.

The false claim, which Starmer has said amounted to Johnson "parroting the conspiracy theories of violent fascists," has angered not only opponents but also some within his own party.

Johnson has declined to apologize but did back down from the comments on Thursday.