LONDON-(MaraviPost)—British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday, July 7, 2022 resigned as Conservative Party leader amid the growing lack of support from his party and the pressure for him to step down.
Johnson made the announcement from outside Downing Street adding that the process for choosing the new leader of the Conservative Party will begin immediately.
“It is so sad I have to give up the best job in the world but no one is remotely indispensable in politics,” said Johnson.
His resignation comes after two members of his Cabinet abounded the party and one of his closest allies, Treasury Chief Nadhim Zahawi, publicly told him to resign for the good of the country, NPR reported.
The lawmaker has however signaled his intentions to stay in the office until a new party leader is elected, a move which many of his critics have questioned.
He also disclosed that he would stay as the prime minister until a replacement is chosen.
On Thursday morning, more than 50 members of government also resigned from their posts, including five cabinet ministers and on Wednesday afternoon, five ministers resigned in one swoop.
Johnson’s last miles of reign was marred with endless series of scandals that wrecked his public image just after he narrowly survived a vote of no confidence in early June.
One of the heated scandals surfaced after police fined him for attending one of many parties that took place in Downing Street during lockdown. He also recently lost two MPs due to sex scandals, and failed to regain their seats in by-elections.
His rebels had threatened to tweak party rules and allow another vote in the near future if Johnson doesn’t resign and it was expected that he would lose.
Meanwhile, it is expected that the one who will replace Johnson as the Conservative party leader would also take over as Prime Minister.
