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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
National
Ellie Kemp

What happens if Boris Johnson resigns as Prime Minister?

Pressure is continuing to mount on Prime Minister Boris Johnson as the government waits for the official investigation into the 'partygate' row.

Senior civil servant Sue Gray is now believed to have finished her report into the allegations - with the findings set to be released on Wednesday or Thursday.

The report is examining a series of gatherings, including some said to have been attended by Mr Johnson.

READ MORE: The full list of Number 10's 'lockdown-breaking parties'... as it gets even longer

The Daily Mirror first reported allegations of parties in No 10 during Covid restrictions two months ago.

Fresh allegations have continued to emerge since then and have now totalled at least 19 separate events.

The latest emerged on Monday when Downing Street was forced to admit Mr Johnson had a birthday celebration inside No 10 during the first lockdown.

Downing Street conceded staff “gathered briefly” in the Cabinet Room following a meeting, after it was alleged 30 people attended and shared cake despite social mixing indoors being banned.

The Prime Minister is expected to give a Commons statement once No 10 has had time to review Ms Gray’s findings.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said the Gray report must be published “in full” so there is no “cover-up”.

However if the report finds that Mr Johnson did break lockdown rules there will be even greater calls for the Prime Minister to resign.

What happens if a Prime Minister resigns?

When a Prime Minister resigns, the subsequent events are conditioned by context surrounding their departure, reports Wales Online.

If a PM resigns following a loss in a general election, they offer their resignation to the monarch and the winning party then forms a government.

However, if Johnson, or any other PM was to resign during parliament, the process is far longer and follows many more processes.

Under conventions of the UK's unwritten constitution, Britain must have a Prime Minister at all times.

So, a standing prime minister departing automatically triggers a leadership contest , but does not leave straight away.

The appointment of a new party leader can takes up to a month and includes arduous campaigning, jostling for position and various behind the scenes machinations.

When the leadership contest is decided, the outgoing prime minister will go and offer their resignation to the Queen, and advise she appoints the new leader of the party as prime minister - this is largely ceremonial.

Commonly, incoming Prime Ministers choose to hold a general election to reinforce their power, but this is unlikely in 2022.

In 2007, a Conservative leadership contest was triggered when Tony Blair resigned in June 2007. It was won by Gordon Brown, who ran uncontested.

In 2016, another contest took place when David Cameron resigned as Tory party leader. Theresa May went on to win in July 2016, after Andrea Leadsom withdrew and left Mrs May as the sole candidate.

And more recently in June 2019, Theresa May resigned, with Boris Johnson being elected in the leadership contest with almost twice as many votes as his opponent Jeremy Hunt.

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