but will remain as a ‘caretaker’ PM until there is a new one…
In the shadow of a series of scandals, and a party that had lost confidence in its leader to the point where dozens of his own ministers resigned, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson floated in a dark sea of speculation yesterday as to whether he would resign or not.
When the PM did front the media, his announcement was not quite what was expected. His ‘demotion’ to caretaker PM keeps him where he is, for now, although he has stood down as leader of the Conservative Party.
The will of the Conservative Party
Mr Johnson said that it was clearly the will of the parliamentary Conservative Party, that there should be a new leader of the party and therefore a new Prime Minister. ‘I’ve agreed with Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of our backbench MPs, that the process of choosing that new leader should begin now – and the timetable will be announced next week.
‘I have today appointed a cabinet to serve, as I will until a new leader is in place.’
Mr Johnson said thanked the people who voted for the party in 2019 saying that many of them voted conservative for the first time. ‘Thank you for that incredible mandate, the biggest conservative majority since 1987 and the biggest share of the vote since 1979.
Fought hard to continue
Mr Johnson said the reason he had fought so hard in the last few days to continue to deliver that mandate in person was not just because he wanted to do so, but because he felt it was his job. ‘It was my duty and my obligation for you to continue to do what we promised in 2019.
‘And of course, I’m immensely proud of the achievements of this government from getting Brexit done, protecting our relations with the continent for over half a century – reclaiming the power for this country to make its own laws in Parliament – getting us all through the pandemic, delivering the fastest vaccine rollout in Europe, the fastest exit from lockdown and in the last few months, leading the West in standing up to Putin’s aggression in Ukraine.
Support for the new leader
Mr Johnson said that he planned to give the new leader as much support as he can and to the public and he conceded that there may be many people who are relieved and some disappointed over the end of his leadership. ‘I want you to know how sad I am to be giving up the best job in the world. But them’s the breaks.’
Mr Johnson thanked the British public for the immense privilege he has been given. ‘I want you to know that from now on until the new prime minister is in place, your interests will be served and the government of the country will be carried on. Being Prime Minister is an education in itself. I’ve travelled to every part of the United Kingdom and in addition to the beauty of our natural world, I find so many people possessed of such boundless British originality and so willing to tackle old problems in new ways that I know that even if things can sometimes seem dark now, our future together is golden. Thank you all very much. Thank you
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