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News > United Kingdom

UK Media: PM Johnson Agrees to Resign as Conservative Leader

  • UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has agreed to resign as Conservative Party leader, as dozens of colleagues quit over string of scandals.

    UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has agreed to resign as Conservative Party leader, as dozens of colleagues quit over string of scandals. | Photo: Twitter @Technicalearn5

Published 7 July 2022
Opinion

After a wave of resignations from his government, the Prime Minister will reportedly announce his resignation as Conservative leader later during the day. He is to remain as Prime Minister until the fall.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has agreed to resign as Conservative leader today, and a public statement is expected during the day, according to several reports by UK media.

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UK: Top Cabinet Resignations Put Pressure on PM

Johnson will remain as Great Britan's Prime Minister until the fall, the reports indicated, therefore a race for the Conservative party leadership is likely to take place in the summer.  

A No 10 source said Mr Johnson had spoken to the chairman of the Conservative backbench 1922 Committee, Sir Graham Brady, and agreed to stand down, with a new Tory leader set to be in place by the party's conference in October.

However, several MPs are calling for a caretaker prime minister to be brought in to stop Mr Johnson from remaining in office through the summer. There has been intense pressure on Mr Johnson to quit after more than 50 resignations from all levels of government, and waves of backbenchers appealing for him to go.

Sir Ed Davey, leader of the Liberal Democrats, has reacted with incredulity to reports Boris Johnson will be staying as ‘caretaker’ PM. He tweeted that the notion of the Conservative Party making Johnson “caretaker for anything” was “ludicrous.”

Labor leader Sir Keir Starmer said it was “good news for the country” that Mr Johnson was stepping down, adding: “It should have happened long ago.” 

Conservative MP Robert Buckland agreed that “the views of colleagues” had prompted the PM to rethink his previous stance and agree to step down, adding, “he has bowed to the inevitable”. Buckland voiced the hope that the Conservative Party can “get back to values” such as “freedom under the law”.

For the beleaguered Prime Minister, the avalanche of resignations began with two of his most senior ministers – Health Secretary Sajid Javid and Chancellor Rishi Sunak – stepping down on Tuesday amid fallout from No 10’s handling of allegations of sexual misconduct by disgraced ex-deputy chief whip Chris Pincher.

The announcement of Boris Johnson’s impending resignation as Tory leader has fueled fresh speculation as to his likely successor. Former chancellor Rishi Sunak and trade policy minister Penny Mordaunt are leading the odds to take over from Johnson, reported Sky News.

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