PM resigns: The statement from Boris Johnson
‘Our future is golden’
The PM finishes his statement by saying he will continue to serve the public’s interests until his replacement is found.
“Being prime minister is an education in itself – I’ve travelled to every part of UK and I’ve found so many people possessed of such boundless British originality and so willing to tackle old problems in new ways.
“Even if things can sometimes seem dark now, our future together is golden,” Johnson says.
He receives some applause as he leaves.
“Even if things can sometimes seem dark now, our future together is golden”
‘Sad to give up’
The PM says he’s sad to give up the best job in the world, “but them’s the breaks”
“Above all, I want to thank you, the British public, for the immense privilege you have given me,” he says.
No sense of contrition from Boris Johnson in that statement today. Some Tory MPs won’t be happy with him staying on until the autumn. https://t.co/be5aa1eFjM
— kathryn samson (@STVKathryn) July 7, 2022
‘Painful to not see protects through’
PM says no one in politics is “remotely indispensable” and says “our brilliant and Darwinian system will produce another leader”.
He says he will give the new leader as much support as he can.
Johnson says it is preposterous to change governments – rejecting the idea of a general election – when we’re “delivering so much and such vast mandates, when the economic scene is so difficult domestically and internationally”.
“I regret to not be successful in arguments and it’s painful not to see through so many ideas and projects.”
Keep levelling up
PM says we must keep levelling up, unleashing the potential of every part of the UK.
If we can do that we will be the most prosperous in Europe, he says.
PM confirms he will remain in place until new leader is chosen.
Timetable for new leader
PM says the process of choosing the new leader should begin now and the timetable will be announced next week.
Will of the party to choose a new leader and PM – Johnson
It is clearly now the will of the parliamentary Conservative Party that there should be a new leader of the party and therefore a new prime minister, Boris Johnson says.
Not a single admission of having done anything wrong, or of having any regrets, in Boris Johnson's resignation statement, but he does take the time to blame Conservative MPs for their "eccentric" decision to remove him.
Incredibly graceless statement.
— Adam Bienkov (@AdamBienkov) July 7, 2022
UK awaits PM’s resignation
The PM is expected to appear before a podium outside 10 Downing Street in the next few minutes.
The PM has around 30 MPs gathered in support, outside No 10 – its a small group of MPs considering how big he won in 2019.
Today he is expected to announce his resignation as Tory MP leader. He is expected to remain PM until autumn so the Tories can elect a new leader to replace him.
Many MPs want him gone now.
Jacob Rees Mogg is amongst the MPs gathered outside No 10 along with the PM’s wife Carrie Johnson and their baby. The PM’s Narrine Dorries is also in attendance.
