DOWNING Street may not appoint a new ethics adviser following Lord Geidt’s shock exit on Wednesday night.

The peer - who lasted 16 months in the post - was the second independent adviser on ministers’ interests appointed by Boris Johnson to have resigned in protest. 

At a briefing for journalists in Westminster, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman refused to confirm if the Tory leader would now try to appoint his third ethics adviser in three years. 

He said that Lord Geidt had raised issues about the role and therefore Mr Johnson will "carefully consider" those points before taking any steps to appoint a replacement.

Asked if it was possible that the peer would not be replaced, the spokesperson replied: “We have not made a final decision on how best to carry out that function, whether it relates to a specific individual or not, particularly given some of the issues that have been raised recently the Prime Minister alludes to in his letter. 

“So he will carefully consider that before setting out next steps.”

The spokesman said that Mr Johnson was committed to "rigorous oversight and scrutiny of ministerial interests."

"[The role] could continue as it was before, but he hasn’t made a final decision," the spokesman added.

The spokesman denied efforts to find a replacement were being put on hold due to concerns that nobody would take the job.