Newsman: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson resigned on Thursday after more than 50 members of Parliament resigned from his government within 48 hours. But He said he will remain in place until a new leader is selected by the Conservative Party.
Speaking outside Downing Street, Johnson said that 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.”
Johnson has been embroiled in a string of scandals and allegations of misleading the public, but the final straw for many MPs involves Conservative lawmaker Chris Pincher. Johnson’s deputy chief whip, was suspended last week amid accusations that he drunkenly groped two men at a private members club.
Chief whip, Chris Pincher, later resigned his post last Thursday. Johnson on Tuesday apologized for appointing Pincher deputy chief whip — a senior party role — despite knowing of an investigation into his behavior in 2019.
But the unprecedented revolt against the leader from within his own party began with the resignation of two top ministers on Tuesday night followed by a torrent of resignations on Wednesday. More ministers quit early Thursday morning, including Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis, Treasury Minister Helen Whately and Security Minister Damian Hinds. A Sky News tally put the total number of departures at 59 as of 10 a.m. London time.
Johnson narrowly survived a confidence vote from Conservative MPs last month, but many of those previously backing his leadership have since abandoned their support.
