The British Prime Minister has announced a statement.
(Photo: AP)
London In the end, Boris Johnson had to accept the inevitable. At half past eight in the morning he informed his influential fellow party member Sir Graham Brady that he was resigning as British Prime Minister. On Thursday he wanted to appear in front of the cameras at 10 Downing Street and announce his resignation.
Almost 50 members of the government had previously resigned in protest at Johnson’s leadership style, including on Thursday morning the new Minister of Education Michelle Donelan, who was only appointed on Tuesday. Half of the cabinet revolted against the prime minister and Finance Minister Nadhim Zahawi, who had just been appointed by Johnson, publicly called on the 58-year-old head of government to resign.
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.
Only yesterday Johnson had shown himself combative in Parliament and announced that he would continue. When he was urged by several cabinet members on Wednesday evening to clear the way for a successor, he remained stubborn.
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Only when Zahawi publicly distanced himself from the prime minister did Johnson give up. “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 go now,” the Conservative Chancellor of the Exchequer wrote in a letter to the PM published on Twitter.
But that’s not the end of the drama in London. Johnson wants to remain in office until his successor is elected. And that could last until the fall. So far, only Attorney General Suella Braverman and Brexit supporter Steve Baker have declared their candidacy.
However, it is expected that the race to succeed Johnson will not really begin for the next few days. The party’s internal election campaign is likely to drag on for a few weeks. In any case, a new party leader and prime minister should be found by the party conference in early October.
>> Read here: Johnson before resigning – how things are going in London now
It is questionable, however, whether Johnson can remain in office as acting prime minister for so long. Economics Minister Kwasi Kwarteng, who had previously resigned, called for a successor plan on Twitter “as soon as practically possible”. Former Schools Minister Nick Gibb also demanded that Johnson immediately resign as Prime Minister.
The influential “1922 Committee” of the Conservative Party decides on the timetable for the successor. Should Johnson not get his wish through, his previous deputy Dominic Raab would probably lead the business until a new prime minister was elected.
The opposition, meanwhile, was pleased with the reports of the impending resignation. This is “good news for the country,” said Labor Party leader and opposition leader Keir Starmer. “We don’t need a change in Tory leadership – we need a real change of government,” Starmer said. “We need a fresh start for Britain.”
The withdrawal reports also impacted the financial markets. The British pound initially reacted to the report with price gains. Against the dollar, the pound gained about 0.5 percent to $1.1991. The currency hit a two-year low against the dollar at 1.185 on Wednesday following the resignation of senior ministers.
More: Why Britain is the Sick Man of Europe