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And so yesterday Boris Johnson became the third minister to resign in 24 hours following both David Davies and Steve Baker. After weeks of speculation and rumours of real disgruntlement in the cabinet, it would seem that following the Prime Minister's recent meeting at Chequers, both senior ministers found their position untenable. As the news unfolded yesterday, I began to wonder when and how people stand their ground and more generally about the competing values of personal principles and compromise. As a society we generally praise those who stand by their personal conscience and principles, that there are certain things in politics and life which demand a level of integrity and doing what you think is right. Yet it could be argued that principles are not always absolutes but rather a frame of reference; they should serve as guidelines to our behaviour as we grow, learn and experience new things. Principles can create moral parameters but we also value the idea of putting principles and passion to one side for the sake of unity and consensus, for a purpose greater than our own desires. Yet often this kind of attitude is labelled as the dull, grey area of compromise. Critics argue that people compromise not because it’s right but because it’s easy and because it saves face. Distilled to its essence, we compromise in order to be safe. Yet for others compromise is needed all the time, it’s not a defeatist attitude whether in politics or relationships – rather it’s essential in maintaining some kind of social and moral balance in society. And for me this dilemma is true in my own religious faith – that holding onto a belief in God is as much a challenge as it is a blessing, it comes with its own internal contradictions. In the Qur’anic command to enjoin what is good and forbid what is wrong, we can be lost in a moral minefield. As I’ve observed in so many families, single mindedness and a burning sense of morality and cultural conviction, of being right can be reassuring but it’s also dangerous, alienating entire generations. This is manifest not only in political extremism but in ordinary relationships between parents and children, families and communities. The fundamental question we all have to face is how are we to live our lives and what moral values should guide us? As we weigh up what is worth holding onto, we often find that flexibility can be a strength. But at the same time, we can’t flourish as a society without developing some foundational principles on which we should never compromise such as justice, generosity and gratitude – all necessary for a truly transformative vision for our lives.