British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson on Thursday announced his resignation after multiple ministers, including close allies, quit his government.
After more than 50 ministers in his Conservative Party quit and lawmakers said he must go, a powerless Johnson spoke outside Downing Street and confirmed he would resign. Johnson will however remain in office until a successor is chosen.
“The process of choosing that new leader should begin now. And today I have appointed a cabinet to serve, as I will until a new leader is in place,” Johnson said.
The Conservative Party will now have to elect a new leader, a process that may take weeks or months.
Johnson in his brief resignation speech said he was proud of his achievements in office, citing his involvement in taking the UK out of the EU, the government’s response to Covid, and rolling out the vaccine programme.
He also said he had led “the West in standing up to Putin’s aggression in Ukraine”.
Addressing the Ukrainians, he said: “We in the UK will continue to back your fight for freedom for as long as it takes.”
Mr. Johnson thanked his wife Carrie and their children as well as the staff of Downing Street and the British people, “for the immense privilege you have given me”.
“I know even if things can sometimes seem dark now our future together is golden,” he added.
Mr. Johnson came to power in July 2019, and six months later won a massive majority in a general election.
His resignation comes after the many controversies that characterized his ruling in recent months, including a fine for breaking his own lockdown laws and his handling of sexual misconduct allegations against former Deputy Chief Whip, Chris Pincher.
In the meantime, Boris Johnson has reshuffled and filled vacant posts in his cabinet as the search for a new Tory leader begins.
Source: CBC News
