International
Johnson to resign as a Tory leader today
Summary
- Boris Johnson is to resign as Conservative leader today and make a statement to the country
- But he plans to continue to serve as prime minister until the autumn to allow a Tory leadership contest to take place in the summer
- Calls are growing for him to step down sooner, with some Tory MPs saying he must go now and it’s impossible for him to stay on
- More than 50 government ministers and aides have quit
- Labour leader Keir Starmer welcomes Johnson’s impending resignation, saying the Conservatives have “inflicted chaos upon the country” during a cost of living crisis
- Foreign Secretary Liz Truss – who has remained silent for days – is cutting short a foreign trip and returning to London
- Nadhim Zahawi this morning told Johnson he must “go now”, two days after being made chancellor
- While New Education Secretary Michelle Donelan and Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis resigned from cabinet
More news on this shortly.
