Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced his resignation today (July 7).
Following the collapse of his Cabinet with more than 50 Minister and aide resignations since Tuesday, the PM finally gave into the pressure to step down from “the best job in the world.”
He said it was “clearly the will of Parliamentary Conservative Party” that there should now be “a new leader of that party and so a new Prime Minister.”
A timetable to elect that new leader will be released next week with Boris Johnson serving until a new leader is in place.
He thanked those who voted Conservative in the 2019 election and said the reason he “fought so hard” in the last few days to stay in office was so that he could “continue to deliver that mandate in person not just because I wanted to do so but because I felt it was my job, my obligation and my duty to continue.”
The announcement comes in the wake of the resignations after Downing Street admitted the PM knew about allegations of inappropriate behaviour against disgraced former Deputy Chief Whip Chris Pincher in 2019, but still appointed him in February.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid was the first to announce his departure, followed by Chancellor Rishi Sunak and then a swathe of other Ministers and aides.
Mr Pincher resigned last week after new allegations of groping two men at a club in London.
Mr Johnson added: “To (the) new leader… I say I will give you as much support as I can.
“And to you, the British public. I know that there will be many people who are relieved and perhaps quite a few who will also be disappointed.
“And I want you to know how sad I am to be giving up the best job in the world.
“But thems the breaks.”
This morning there have also been several new Cabinet appoitments:
- Rt Hon Greg Clark MP as Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
- Rt Hon James Cleverly MP as Secretary of State for Education
- Rt Hon Sir Robert Buckland QC MP as Secretary of State for Wales
- Rt Hon Kit Malthouse MP as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
- Shailesh Vara MP as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
- Andrew Stephenson MP as Minister without Portfolio.
Mr Johnson began his time as PM on 24 July 2019. He then held a snap general election in December 2019, where the Conservatives won a majority.
