Xinhua News Agency
LONDON – Boris Johnson resigned as British prime minister and the leader of the Conservative Party in a statement to the country on Thursday, July 7.
He said he will continue to serve as prime minister until a new Tory leader is chosen.
“The will of the parliamentary party is clear and the process for choosing a new leader should begin,” he said, adding that the timetable for choosing a new leader will be announced next week.
He said he has appointed a Cabinet to serve during the interim period and he will serve “until a new leader is in place.”
Johnson’s exit came amid an avalanche of ministerial resignations over his scandal-hit leadership since Tuesday. The number of resignations from his government exceeded 50 by Thursday morning, according to a tally by British media. On Tuesday, Sajid Javid and Rishi Sunak resigned from their posts as health secretary and chancellor of the exchequer, respectively.
The prime minister has been dogged by a seemingly endless string of scandals for months, and the Tories worry the party’s future in the next general elections in 2024 is on the line.
Johnson became the first serving British prime minister in history to break the law after receiving a fine from the police for attending a party in 2020 during the country’s COVID-19 lockdown.
Though he survived a no-confidence vote recently within his Conservative Party over the so-called Partygate scandal, over 40% of his own party voted against him and the forces that want him to go have been gaining momentum following more untoward revelations.
The latest scandal involved Johnson’s appointment of lawmaker Christopher Pincher to deputy chief whip despite being informed of formal complaints about his alleged sexual misconduct. (Xinhua)
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