Boris Johnson resigns; Nadhim Zahawi leads race for British PM

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday announced his decision to step down as the Conservative Party leader, saying he was sad to give up the best job in the world. “I want you to know how sad I am to be giving up the best job in the world,” Johnson said in an address to the nation outside 10 Downing Street, the official residence of the British Prime Minister.

Johnson, 58, will remain in charge at 10 Downing Street until the process of electing a new leader is completed by the time of the Conservative Party conference, scheduled for October.

In his address, Johnson said that in politics, no one is “remotely indispensable”. He also promised to give the new leader as much support as he can. Johnson thanked the British public “for the immense privilege you have given me”.

Opinion: Boris Johnson quits, leaving Conservatives crippled and battered

Stream of resignations

The move came after days of high drama and a steady stream of resignations from his Cabinet since Tuesday and just minutes after his newly appointed Chancellor to replace Rishi Sunak wrote a public letter calling for him to go now.

Nadhim Zahawi, the Iraqi-origin minister seen as a frontrunner to replace Johnson in 10 Downing Street, wrote a damning letter which openly questioned his authority and demanded his exit. While not officially resigning from his new Cabinet post, the 55-year-old minister said the time was up for Johnson.

“Prime minister, you know in your heart what the right thing to do is, and go now,” he signs off.

‘Should have quit earlier’

Moments after the news broke of Johnson’s decision to step down, the overwhelming reaction from different quarters was that of relief.

The opposition Labour Party led the jubilant reaction to the imminent end of the Johnson-led Tory government, declaring it good news for the country.

The party pointed to recent scandals of COVID law-breaking parties in Downing Street and missteps over MP misconduct cases that ended in a wave of resignations from within the UK Cabinet, which ultimately made Boris Johnson’s position as Prime Minister untenable.

“It is good news for the country that Boris Johnson has resigned as Prime Minister. But it should have happened long ago. He was always unfit for office,” said Labour Leader Keir Starmer.

“He has been responsible for lies, scandal and fraud on an industrial scale. And all those who have been complicit should be utterly ashamed. The Tory Party have inflicted chaos upon the country during the worst cost of living crisis in decades and they cannot now pretend they are the ones to sort it out. They have been in power for 12 years. The damage they have done is profound. Enough is enough,” he said.

Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon tweeted there would be “a widespread sense of relief” that the “chaos” was coming to an end.

“[The] notion of Boris Johnson staying on as PM until autumn seems far from ideal, and surely not sustainable,” she added, with reference to Johnson’s proposed exit plan to stay in power until the Conservative Party conference scheduled for October.

Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper said Johnson would “go down in history as a lying law-breaking Prime Minister, who abused the trust and patience of the British people”.

“He will leave a stain on the Conservative Party that can’t be removed,” she added.