UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to resign on Thursday.
It's understood Mr Johnson has spoken to Tory 1922 Committee chairman Sir Graham Brady and agreed to stand down, with a new Tory leader set to be in place by the party conference in October, a No 10 source said.
An official announcement is due later today when Mr Johnson makes a public address. He is expected to remain PM over the summer while a new leader of the Conservative Party is elected.
FOLLOW LIVE: Boris Johnson to resign today
Around a third of all MPs who held non-Cabinet ministerial positions at the start of the week have now resigned.
Newly appointed chancellor Nadhim Zahawi said Mr Johnson should "leave with dignity" and "go now", as the Prime Minister’s refusal to quit triggered another wave of ministerial resignations.
Mr Zahawi, who was only appointed on Tuesday, said he had made clear privately to Mr Johnson that he should go but “I am heartbroken that he hasn’t listened and that he is now undermining the incredible achievements of this Government at this late hour”.
The Chancellor’s extraordinary statement said the country “deserves a Government that is not only stable, but which acts with integrity”.
Mr Zahawi has not resigned but Michelle Donelan, who was also only appointed on Tuesday night, quit as Education Secretary.
She told Mr Johnson “I can see no way that you can continue in post” but without a formal mechanism to remove him the Cabinet must “force your hand”.
Brandon Lewis quit his Cabinet post as Northern Ireland Secretary, telling the Prime Minister the Government requires “honesty, integrity and mutual respect” and it is “now past the point of no return”.
His departure was soon followed by a string of other ministers as the number of MPs quitting government and party posts since Tuesday evening topped 50.
Sinn Fein Stormont leader Michelle O’Neill criticised the departing Mr Brandon Lewis as having “shamefully placated the DUP”.
“Brandon Lewis abandoned any pretence of acting with the ‘rigorous impartiality’ required of him under the Good Friday Agreement,” she said.
“He has shamefully placated the DUP by giving them political cover in denying the electorate the democratic representation they are entitled to.
“His actions are preventing ministers from using £435 million to support workers and families struggling with the rising cost-of-living crisis, agreeing a three-year budget and putting an additional billion pounds towards fixing our health service.
“He has failed victims and survivors by tearing up the Stormont House Agreement agreed by the two governments and political parties to deal with the past.
“He has undermined the Good Friday Agreement and political stability, and his actions gave us a daily reminder why those with no mandate or votes here will only ever act in their own political interests, and not ours.
“The political stability of the North cannot be a hostage to the Tory-in fighting, Westminster chaos and continued DUP disruption.”
Helen Whately quit as a Treasury minister, telling Mr Johnson: “I have argued that you should continue as Prime Minister many times in recent months, but there are only so many times you can apologise and move on. That point has been reached.”
Damian Hinds resigned as security minister, telling Mr Johnson there has been a “serious erosion” in standards in public life and “faith in our democracy and public administration”.
He said on Twitter: “It shouldn’t take the resignation of dozens of colleagues, but for our country, and trust in our democracy, we must have a change of leadership.”
George Freeman, who announced he was resigning as science minister on Thursday morning, said Boris Johnson must apologise to the Queen and advise her to call for a caretaker prime minister.
He tweeted: “Boris Johnson needs to hand in the seals of office, apologise to Her Majesty and advise her to call for a caretaker prime minister.
“To take over today so that ministers can get back to work and we can choose a new Conservative leader to try and repair the damage and rebuild trust.”
The pound was trading higher on the news of Boris Johnson’s resignation – up 0.6% at 1.198 US dollars and 0.4% stronger at 1.174 euros.
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