British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday, resigned as Conservative Party leader after ministers and lawmakers made clear his position was untenable due to growing anger about his handling of alleged misconduct by different party members.
Johnson will remain as prime minister until a successor is in place, expected to be by the time of the Conservative Party conference in October.
Speaking to a crowd of supporters and onlookers at the lectern outside 10 Downing Street, Johnson said, “It is clearly now the will of the parliamentary Conservative Party that there should be a new leader of that party and therefore a new prime minister.”
“I’ve appointed a cabinet to serve, as I will, until a new leader is in place,” he said. That process could take at least six weeks or longer. The timetable will be announced next week.
Johnson did not become emotional, nor did he apologize for the behavior and actions that brought the 58-year-old politician to this low point.
Instead, he blamed his party for his downfall, comparing his fellow lawmakers to stampeding animals.
“As we have seen at Westminster … when the herd moves, it moves. And my friends, in politics, no one is remotely indispensable,” Johnson said.
He paid tribute to his wife, Carrie, who was watching his speech with their young daughter in her arms.
“I know there are many people who are relieved, and perhaps quite a few who will also be disappointed. I want you to know how sad I am to be giving up the best job in the world. But them’s the breaks,” Johnson said.
There will be no general election. Instead, the new prime minister will be chosen in a vote by dues paying members of the Conservative Party, which will remain in power
Johnson had already been weakened by anger about Partygate, in which his administration was accused of hosting parties on government property despite government guidance to avoid social gatherings due to the pandemic.
Then allegations arose that he had picked Chris Pincher for key party roles in spite of knowing about accusations of sexual misconduct against Pincher.
Johnson’s resignation came after the prime minister haemorrhaged support among his ministers and member of his Tory party.
More than 50 lawmakers have resigned from government or party roles since Tuesday night when the mass exodus was triggered by the resignations of Rishi Sunak and Sajid Javid from the Cabinet.
The prime minister had sought to defy his critics and carry on in the office, in spite of warnings from Cabinet colleagues that this was not sustainable.
But resignations continued and Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi who was only appointed to the role on Tuesday, went public with his call for the prime minister to quit.
The timetable for the Tory leadership contest would be agreed upon between the 1922 Committee, which ran the parliamentary proceedings to whittle the candidates down to two, and Conservative headquarters.
But critics of the prime minister suggested he should not be allowed to remain in office until October.
George Freeman, who quit as science minister on Thursday, said that now Johnson had finally done the decent thing, he should hand in the seals of office, and apologise to her majesty.
“To allow her to appoint a caretaker under whom ministers can serve, so the Conservative Party can choose a new leader properly.’’ (dpa/NAN)
