London Even as he resigned, Boris Johnson continued to defy his critics. The controversial prime minister clears the way for a new leader of the Conservative Party. Johnson wants to remain prime minister until his successor has been chosen. To this end, he appointed an interim cabinet on Thursday.
“It is now clearly the will of the Conservative Group that there should be a new party leader and thus a new Prime Minister,” said Johnson, visibly disappointed, in front of his government seat at 10 Downing Street. In his view, it was not the British people but his own party that pushed him out of office.
If “the herd” of the party moves, it can hardly be stopped. Johnson spoke ironically of a “brilliant Darwinian system” that brought him down. He promised his successor “as much support as possible”.
The British pound initially reacted to the resignation with price gains. British share prices also climbed. Sterling did benefit in the short term, says Laura Foll, portfolio manager at Janus Henderson Investors. “But the upheaval comes at a time when British stocks are already under extreme pressure due to poor valuations of domestic companies.”
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The selection process for a successor can drag on until the fall. An internal party election campaign lasting several weeks, in which the Tory faction then chooses two candidates, is common. However, the party members have the last word. The Tories’ influential “1922 Committee” decides on the timetable for the succession.
Possible successors for Johnson
So far, only Attorney General Suella Braverman and Steve Baker from the party’s hard-line Brexit wing have expressed interest. Former Secretary of State Jeremy Hunt is also likely to be back in the running.
Clockwise from top left: Penny Mordaunt, Rishi Sunak, Michael Gove, Nadhim Zahawi, Steve Baker, Suella Braverman, Ben Wallace, Liz Truss, Sajid Javid and Jeremy Hunt.
(Photo: Getty Images)
However, Defense Secretary Ben Wallace, the current Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, the resigned Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak and his successor Nadhim Zahawi and ex-Health Secretary Sajid Javid have better chances with the British bookmakers. At the top of the betting shops, however, is Penny Mordaunt, a MP who is popular with the group.
There is already resistance within the party to leaving Johnson in power until his regular successor has been finally clarified. Especially since the wave of resignations continued on Thursday and it is completely unclear whether the prime minister can put together a working government on demand.
Former Prime Minister John Major said Johnson must leave immediately for the good of the country, and previously resigned Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng tweeted that a succession plan would be arranged “as soon as practicable”.
Tony Danker, the new head of the British industry association CBI, also advocated filling the “political vacuum” quickly. Should Johnson not be able to assert himself, his previous deputy Dominic Raab would probably lead the business until a new prime minister is elected.
Green MEP Anna Cavazzini reacted with relief to the resignation in London. “Johnson’s tenure as Prime Minister was a disaster for EU-UK relations. He systematically used the conflict with the EU as a diversionary tactic to distract from the home-made scandals.”
Achim Post, deputy head of the SPD parliamentary group, was also pleased: “Boris Johnson’s chaotic and corrupt style of government has done great damage to the British political system and damaged many people’s trust in politics for the long term. His resignation was therefore overdue and urgently needed.
>>Read here: Low taxes are not enough – Johnson’s successor must reinvent Britain
David McAllister, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the European Parliament, was more reserved: “With a view to supporting Ukraine, we need a UK that is able to act by our side. Unfortunately, a fundamental change of position in London with regard to the protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland is not to be expected.”
Johnson voluntarily resigns
Few expected Johnson to give up voluntarily after he had strictly rejected demands from his cabinet colleagues to resign on Wednesday evening. In the end, however, he had to submit. At half past eight on Thursday morning he informed his influential fellow party member Sir Graham Brady that he was resigning as Prime Minister.
>> Read here: Johnson resigns – How things are going in London now
Almost 50 members of the government had previously resigned. Half of the cabinet revolted against the prime minister, and Finance Minister Zahawi, who had just been appointed by Johnson, publicly called on the 58-year-old head of government to finally take action.
In a letter to the prime minister published on Twitter, he wrote: “The country deserves a government that is not only stable but also acts with integrity. Prime Minister, you know in your heart what is right and now go!”
As a result, Johnson no longer had any allies in his political struggle for survival. This was preceded by days of chaos that even the British, used to political dramas, had not experienced for a long time.
The trigger for the government crisis was that Johnson first promoted a fellow party member known for his sexual assaults and then denied having known about the allegations. This later turned out to be untrue.
Struggling for economic course after the Johnson era
Johnson used his resignation speech to once again point out his merits: At the top of the list of successes he put Brexit, the fight against the pandemic and support for Ukraine in the war against Putin.
He regrets that he was less successful in the fight against the economic crisis, said the still prime minister. With an inflation rate of more than nine percent and stagnant growth, Great Britain is in the worst economic misery in 50 years.
Johnson apparently decides to resign
The primary focus of those who succeed Johnson must be to get the soaring cost of living under control. There are many indications that the Tories are relying primarily on tax cuts.
Acting Chancellor of the Exchequer Zahawi has already indicated this. However, his predecessor Sunak has already warned his party that this would further fuel inflation and jeopardize public finances. So the battle for the post-Johnson economic course is on.
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