LONDON • British Prime Minister Boris Johnson battled to remain in office Wednesday, brushing off calls for his resignation after two top ministers and a slew of junior officials said they could no longer serve under his scandal-plagued leadership.

Johnson rejected demands that he step down during a stormy session of the House of Commons in the wake of a furor over his handling of sexual misconduct allegations against a senior official.

Later in the day, a delegation of some of his most trusted allies in the Cabinet paid a visit to Johnson at Downing Street to urge him to go, Britain’s Press Association reported.

But the prime minister rejected suggestions he should seek a “dignified exit” and opted to fight for his political future, citing “hugely important issues facing the country,” according to the news agency. It cited a source close to the prime minister as saying he told his colleagues there would be “chaos” if he quit.

Earlier Wednesday, members of the opposition Labour Party showered Johnson with shouts of “Go! Go!’’ during the weekly ritual of Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons as critics argued the leader’s days were numbered.

Keir Starmer, leader of the opposition Labour Party, said Cabinet members who had defended Johnson through many scandals lacked integrity. “Isn’t it the first recorded case of the sinking ship fleeing the rat?” he asked. But more damningly, members of Johnson’s own Conservative Party — wearied by the many scandals he has faced — also challenged their leader

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British Prime Minister Boris Johnson leaves 10 Downing Street in London, Wednesday, July 6, 2022. A defiant British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is battling to stay in power after his government was rocked by the resignation of two top ministers. His first challenge is getting through Wednesday, where he faces tough questions at the weekly Prime Minister’s Questions session in Parliament, and a long-scheduled grilling by a committee of senior lawmakers. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

Frank Augstein