Boris Johnson has officially announced his resignation as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
After a remarkable and dramatic few days, Mr Johnson finally caved to enormous pressure today as he stepped outside Downing Street to confirm his will step down as leader of the Conservative Party and therefore as Prime Minister.
However, Mr Johnson suggested that he will remain in office until a new Conservative Party leader is chosen, which some have predicted could take until the Autumn to decide. Numerous Tory MPs have already suggested that this should not be allowed to happen.
Speaking outside Downing Street today, Mr Johnson said he had fought to remain in office in recent days and claimed it he thought it was 'eccentric' for him to resign, but could not persuade his colleagues of this. He added: "The herd instinct is strong and when the herd moves it moves." He added: "In politics, no one is indispensable."
Addressing the public, Mr Johnson said: "Above all, I want to thank you, the British public, for the immense privilege you have given me,. I want you to know how sad I am to be giving up the best job in the world, the prime minister says. But them's the breaks."
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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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