Johnson steps down as Prime Minister

Boris Johnson resigned as Britain's prime minister on Thursday, but intends to continue as national leader until the fall, when a new Conservative Party chief is chosen, he has announced.

The decision came after an unprecedentedly dramatic 36 hours of domestic politics, which began with Tuesday's announcement that Health Secretary Sajid Javid and Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak would step down, triggering an avalanche of further resignations and declarations of no confidence in Johnson as leader of both the Conservative Party and the government.

The culmination of the mass outbreak of internal dissent came when Nadhim Zahawi, who was only appointed as Chancellor on Tuesday evening, called on Johnson to go.

"It is clearly now the will of the parliamentary Conservative party that there should be a new leader of that party and so a new prime minister," said Johnson in an address delivered outside 10 Downing Street. "I've agreed ... that the process of choosing that new leader should begin now."

He added that he will serve "until a new leader is in place".

"I want you to know how sad I am to be giving up the best job in the world, but them's the breaks," he said, adding "no-one in politics is remotely indispensable."

Despite all the pressure for him to go, he admitted he had tried to persuade his Cabinet to let him continue.

"I regret not to have been successful in those arguments," he said, adding that it was "painful not to see it through".

Unhappiness with Johnson's leadership and personal conduct had been growing in the Conservative Party for months, including over him being fined by the police for breaking rules on social gatherings during the novel coronavirus pandemic lockdown.

Most recently, Johnson was heavily criticized for his handling of a scandal surrounding Conservative Party lawmaker Chris Pincher, who he promoted to a senior position in the party despite allegations hanging over him of sexual harassment.

Johnson's plan to continue in a caretaker role after such an overwhelming and public loss of support drew instant criticism from many within his own party.

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said: "What a depressing state of affairs. So much needless damage caused. We now need a new leader as soon as practicable.

"Someone who can rebuild trust, heal the country, and set out a new, sensible and consistent economic approach to help families."

The former leader of the Scottish Conservatives, Ruth Davidson, said the idea Johnson could continue was "arrant nonsense", and another MP, Simon Hoare, pointed out that it was because of Johnson that ministers had resigned, and said it was "beyond credulity" that he could stay in office on any basis.

Opposition Labour Party leader Keir Starmer welcomed Johnson's departure, which he said was overdue.

"He was always unfit for office," he said. "He has been responsible for lies, scandal and fraud on an industrial scale. And all those who have been complicit should be utterly ashamed."

Video by Brian Chang.