Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson resigned from his post yesterday, within three years of walking into 10 Downing Street following a record number of resignations from his ministers.
Now, the race for a new leader will begin as soon as Johnson steps down as PM and leader of the Conservative Party (also known as Tory), according to Reuters.
While Boris Johnson has resigned, he clings to power and is opposed to leaving office immediately.
Here’s what happened and is going on in UK politics:
1. Johnson’s leadership is embroiled in months of turmoil. Last month he survived a trust vote among Conservative lawmakers, but the prime minister’s undoing was ultimately fueled by the scandal surrounding one of his numbers.
2. Two of Britain’s most senior cabinet ministers, Treasury Chief Rishi Sunak and Health Secretary Sajid Javid, resigned within minutes of each other, a day after the prime minister was forced to admit he was facing charges. Your story has to change on how to handle it. of sexual misconduct by a senior member of his government.
3. The latest scandal saw Johnson rattled by allegations when he failed to come clean about a lawmaker who was appointed to a senior position despite claims of sexual misconduct.
Johnson faced pressure to explain what he knew about past misconduct allegations against lawmaker Chris Pincher, who served as deputy chief whip on Thursday amid complaints that two men groped at a private club. had resigned.
4. Boris Johnson fired senior cabinet minister Michael Gove on Wednesday, reportedly telling him it was time for him to step down. Gove had earlier told the prime minister in a one-on-one meeting that he believed his position was unstable, given the number of lawmakers turning against him. In the wake of Gove’s dismissal, Johnson’s aides reportedly described him as a “snake.”
5. While many have cited Johnson’s honesty and lack of integrity as a major reason for turning against him, he offered a different explanation as to why many of his own lawmakers – including more than 50 members of his government – revolted.
6. He did not apologize for the scandals that eventually ended his premiership, from revelations about having a boozy party in his office during the COVID-19 lockdown and handling complaints of sexual abuse at the party.
7. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson resigns but opposes leaving office immediately. The PM wants to remain in power till the successor is found.
8. During his resignation speech, Boris said, “As we have seen, the Westminster of the herd’s instincts is powerful; when the herd moves, it moves. My friends, no one is remotely indispensable in politics.” Is.”
9. For now Boris Johnson is the prime minister of the UK, but his resignation starts a competition to replace him as the head of his party. Whoever wins will become both prime minister and party leader without the need for a national election.
10. If there are more than two MPs in the race, Conservative MPs will reduce the number to two for the final vote. Whoever wins this contest becomes the leader of the party and assumes the office of Prime Minister after being invited by the Queen to form the government.
(with inputs from Reuters)
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