Stanley Johnson has said he is “convinced” his son Boris will continue as Prime Minister despite a string of resignations.
Last night, former Health Secretary Sajid Javid and ex-Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak stepped down from their roles following the Chris Pincher row.
While Laura Trott announced she had stepped down as Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for Transport shortly followed by Minister for Children Will Quince and Schools minister Robin Walker earlier this morning.
As a result, pressure on Mr Johnson to resign continues to grow.
Stanley Johnson
RUSSELL CHEYNE
Boris Johnson is under mounting pressure to resign
JOHN SIBLEY
But Mr Johnson’s dad has defended the PM, adding that he believes he will “fend off” the growing calls to step down.
Stanley said: "There are people playing the man and not the ball.
"I am 100 percent behind him. One hundred percent and I am absolutely convinced that he will carry on.
“Their job as they see it is to get the political points across by attacking the man, playing the man and not the ball.
“I think he will fend them off in the end and I personally will be delighted because I think there is a huge challenge confronting this country to build bridges now with the EU and China and America and Australia and so forth which is a process which is under way."
He told MailOnline: “Just take his leadership in Ukraine. Without Boris I do not think the EU would have gone as far as it has gone.
“I think we are in tremendous danger now of being blinded by a whole series of minutiae.
“I have supported him over Partygate and I continue to support him.
“As far as I'm concerned, I will support him on all the things that he has set out to do.
“And where he has said there have been misunderstandings, I believe they have been misunderstandings and inadvertently mistakes made.
“Yes, you can expect me to say it is as his father, but I think this storm will pass and we shall see him there and we will be grateful for it in the end.”