By Emmanuel Adeleke
Boris Johnson has resigned from his position as leader of the Conservative Party and British Prime Minister.
Johnson will however stay in the position till September when a new leader and Prime Minister is expected to be named by the Conservative party, which holds the majority in the British Parliament.
His resignation will create room for a successor to replace him as Prime Minister after over 50 members of his cabinet quit the scandal-hit government.
Speaking on Thursday, Johnson said it is clearly the will of his party that he should resign and there should be a new leader.
“I’ve agreed with Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of the backbench MPs that the process of choosing that new leader should begin now and the timetable will be announced next week. I’ve of today appointed a cabinet to serve as I will until a new leader is in place.
“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.
Johnson said he had tried to convince his colleagues that it will be “eccentric” to change government, adding that he regrets “not having been successful in those arguments.”
“Of course, it’s painful not to be able to see through so many ideas and projects myself. Our brilliant and Darwinian system will produce another leader equally committed to taking this country forward through tough times, not just helping families to get through it, but changing and improving the way we do things. Cutting the burden of businesses and families, and yes, cutting taxes.
“To that new leader, I say I will give you as much support as I can. And to you, the British public, I believe there will be many people who are relieved or disappointed. I want you to know how sad I am to be giving up the best job in the world,” the Prime Minister added.
Foreign Secretary, Liz Truss, called for “calmness and unity,” after Johnson quit as Conservative Party leader following a series of scandals and an exodus of cabinet ministers.
“The PM has made the right decision. The government under Boris’s leadership had many achievements- delivering Brexit, vaccines and backing Ukraine. We need calmness and unity now and to keep governing while a new leader is found,” she tweeted from Bali where she is scheduled to attend a G20 ministerial meeting, on Friday.
(Agency Reports)
