Boris Johnson has announced he will quit as UK prime minister after he dramatically lost the support of his ministers and most Conservative MPs but says he will stay on until his successor is chosen.
Bowing to the inevitable as more than 50 ministers quit and MPs said he must go, Boris Johnson said it was clear his party wanted someone else in charge but that his forced departure was “eccentric”.
“Today I have appointed a cabinet to serve, as I will, until a new leader is in place,” Johnson said outside his Downing Street office where his speech was watched by close allies and his wife Carrie.
“I know that there will be many people who are relieved and perhaps quite a few who will also be disappointed. And I want you to know how sad I am to be giving up the best job in the world. But them’s the breaks,” he added, making no apology for the events that forced his announcement.
The process of selecting his replacement begins next week and Mr Johnson says he wants to stay in the job until his replacement takes over.
However many colleagues want him out of Downing Street as soon as possible.
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