Labour have claimed Priti Patel is "on the way out" after 10 Downing Street failed to voice full confidence in the embattled Home Secretary this morning.
Ms Patel is subject to a formal ethics complaint after her top civil servant quit yesterday with a blistering statement accusing her of lying and "shouting and swearing" at staff.
Philip Rutnam, who quit as the Home Office's £185,000-a-year permanent secretary, plans to sue the government for constructive dismissal after a "vicious" briefing campaign.
His bombshell statement yesterday said: "The Home Secretary categorically denied any involvement in this campaign to the Cabinet Office. I regret I do not believe her."
Any employment tribunal would likely trigger an outpouring of damaging claims in the public domain. Last night a Tory source predicted to the Sunday Times that Ms Patel - who denies bullying - would be "out of a job" by the end of the year.
And asked by the BBC if the prime minister had full confidence in Ms Patel, a Downing Street source said Mr Johnson had full confidence in his cabinet.
Downing Street declined to comment this morning when asked the same question by the Mirror.
A No10 source insisted Mr Johnson "has complete confidence in every single one of his cabinet ministers", but did not name Priti Patel specifically.
Boris Johnson later said that he had “total confidence” in Ms Patel.
“I think she is a fantastic Home Secretary. It is never an easy job, as anyone who has been Home Secretary will testify. It is one of the toughest jobs in Government,” he said. But the PM also said he was “full of admiration” for the civil service.
The Lib Dems have now written to Prime Minister Boris Johnson asking him to trigger an official investigation into whether Ms Patel breached the Ministerial Code.
Acting leader Ed Davey told the PM: "If true, these allegations would amount to a clear breach of the Ministerial Code, paragraph 1.2 of which states Ministers should be professional in all their dealings and treat all those with whom they come into contact
with consideration and respect.
"Working relationships, including with civil servants, ministerial and parliamentary colleagues and parliamentary staff should be proper and appropriate.
"Harassing, bullying or other inappropriate or discriminating behaviour wherever it takes place is not consistent with the Ministerial Code and will not be tolerated.
"We therefore request that you urgently investigate this apparent breach of the Ministerial Code."
Labour's John McDonnell told Sky News“there must be something pretty bad" for such a senior civil servant to resign so publicly.
“No10 has only said the Prime Minister has confidence in his Cabinet, not specifically Priti Patel, so it looks as though she’s on the way out," he said.
He added: “Within a couple of months he’s lost his Chancellor and now it looks as though he’s going to lose his Home Secretary as well.
“I think that says something about Boris Johnson ’s own abilities and management of his own government.”
Mr McDonnell said one option would be to hold an independent investigation - and suspend the Home Secretary while it is carried out.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock defended Priti Patel , saying his Cabinet colleague was "determined" but "extremely courteous" in her dealings with Government officials.
Home Secretary Ms Patel has come under fire after the most senior civil servant in the Home Office, Sir Philip Rutnam, quit and launched an attack accusing her of bullying and lying.
Mr Hancock told the BBC's Andrew Marr programme: "Priti is a very determined Home Secretary.
"She is probably closer to where the public are on the issues of law and order than any home secretary in recent history. I think she drives things forward.
"Now, I also think she is extremely courteous, and in every dealing I've had with her she has been very courteous.
"I can't get into the details of the case, not least because it looks like it might be going to court and I'm not close to it."
But Labour leadership candidate Sir Keir Starmer called on Ms Patel to explain the explosive allegations in Parliament tomorrow.
Sir Keir said: "The Home Secretary has a duty to come to Parliament on Monday to explain the allegations made about her own conduct."
He has also called for Cabinet Secretary Mark Sedwill to start "an immediate investigation" into the circumstances surrounding Sir Philip's departure.
"There are now urgent questions that must be answered and steps that need to be taken," he added.
