British Prime Minister Boris Johnson resigns, with calls for new leader to ‘heal the country’

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has resigned after a string of cabinet resignations.

He will step down as leader of the Conservative Party but remain as caretaker Prime Minister until a new leader is chosen.

“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, and I’ve agreed with Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of our backbench MPs, that the process of choosing that new leader should begin now and the timetable will be announced next week,” Mr Johnson said from outside the front of Number 10 Downing Street.

“And I’ve today appointed a cabinet to serve, as I will, until the new leader is in place.”

Mr Johnson could remain as caretaker Prime Minister for several months, until a new leader is chose before the party conference in October.

He thanked those who voted for him and his party in the 2019 general election, which delivered the Conservatives the biggest majority since Margaret Thatcher in 1987.

“The reason I have fought so hard in the last few days to continue to deliver that mandate in person was not just because I wanted to do so, but because I felt it was my job, my duty, my obligation to you to continue to do what we promised in 2019,” he said.

Mr Johnson also expressed regret that he could not stay on as prime minister to see out a full five-year term.

“And my friends, in politics, no one is remotely indispensable.”

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace had also called on Mr Johnson to quit but said he would stay in his role to protect national security.

Mr Zahawi — who was appointed by Mr Johnson to his role on Tuesday night — told the Prime Minister that staying in power was “not sustainable” for the country.

“Prime Minister, this is not sustainable and it will only get worse: for you, for the Conservative Party and, most importantly, of all the country,” he wrote.

Mr Johnson had been embroiled in several scandals during his time as PM including, most recently, questions over his handling of a sexual misconduct complaint against a senior official he appointed to a role in his government.

On Tuesday, his government was rocked by the resignations of Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak and Health Secretary Sajid Javid, who announced their decisions as Mr Johnson was apologising for the appointment.

Both had formerly publicly supported Mr Johnson during months of scandal over his government’s conduct and a damning report into parties at his Downing Street office and residence that broke strict COVID-19 lockdown rules.

Their resignations came just a month after Mr Johnson survived a no-confidence vote from Conservative MPs, and triggered a landslide of resignations.

‘Good news for the country’

It is a huge fall from grace for Mr Johnson, who was elected in a landslide victory in December 2019, delivering the Conservative party its largest majority since Margaret Thatcher’s win in 1987.

Opposition Leader Sir Keir Starmer said Mr Johnson’s resignation was “good news for the country”, adding that the Conservatives had “inflicted chaos upon the country” during the cost-of-living crisis.

“But [Mr Johnson’s resignation] should have happened long ago,” the Labour leader said in a statement.

“He was always unfit for office.

“And all those who have been complicit should be utterly ashamed.”

‘Need to rebuild trust, heal the country’

Business and Energy Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng, from Mr Johnson’s Conservative Party, said it was imperative that a new prime minister was found as “soon as practicable”.

Mr Kwarteng, the Member for Spelthorne, said Britain needed a leader who could “heal the country” after almost three years of Mr Johnson as Prime Minister.

Mr Johnson’s tenure has been marred by controversies connected to his handling of the pandemic.

It includes a highly critical report into parties at his Downing Street residence and office that broke strict COVID-19 lockdown rules and saw him fined by police.

A YouGov poll released on Thursday showed that Ben Wallace was the favourite among Conservative party members to be the next party leader.

News of Mr Johnson’s imminent resignation helped push Britain’s FTSE 250 index to a one-week high as the pound strengthened, rising by 0.8 per cent in morning trade.

ABC