Boris Johnson has explained the reason he clung onto the role of Prime Minister despite pressure to resign.
Over the last 48 hours, over 50 Conservatives ministers resigned from their post in government stating that they could no longer support Mr Johnson as Prime Minister. Dozens of those also urged the PM to resign from his own post and allow a new Conservative leader to be selected.
As the PM finally issued a statement to the country and announced his resignation, he finally explained why he waited so long. Speaking outside Downing Street, Mr Johnson said he was staying out of "duty" to Conservative voters who turned out for the party in 2019.
Live updates: Boris Johnson's full statement and who will replace him
He said: "I want to say to the millions of people who voted for us in 2019, many of them voting Conservative for the first time, thank you for that incredible mandate, the biggest Conservative majority since 1987, the biggest share of the vote since 1979.
"And 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.
“I want to say to the millions of people who voted for us in 2019, many of them voting Conservative for the first time, thank you for that incredible mandate, the biggest Conservative majority since 1987, the biggest share of the vote since 1979.
"And 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."
Today's Downing Street speech brings to an end a bizarre few days, which started with the resignations of Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Health Secretary Sajid Javid. The departures of those two big cabinet beasts were followed by a deluge of quitting ministers and government aides.
Mr Johnson was said to be initially bullish and defiant in his bid to remain in power, telling colleagues he had a huge mandate from the British people. He moved quickly to replace Mr Sunak as Chancellor with former Education boss Nadhim Zahawi.
But things took an even more dramatic turn yesterday with Mr Zahawi one of a group of previously loyal cabinet members who travelled to Downing Street to urge the besieged Prime Minister to quit. Despite this, even last night he was determined to stay on.
But this morning, as the resignations continued, it was confirmed that Boris Johnson would be resigning from the office of Prime Minister, just two and a half years after sweeping to power with an historic 80 seat majority.
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