Today, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson resigned, recognizing that his departure was "clearly the will" of his party.

He promptly resigned as head of his Conservative Party, although he intends to continue as prime minister during the leadership election. He announced he appointed a new cabinet after many resignations, but many are now asking for his resignation.

It is a devastating loss for Johnson, who successfully led the United Kingdom out of the European Union and was credited with launching one of the world's most effective mass vaccination efforts against Covivirus-19.

The declaration was made after over 50 senior members departed the government in response to the most recent ethics crisis involving Johnson's leadership, rendering him incapable of governing.

Johnson stated that he was "immensely proud of the achievements of this government," of the accomplishments of this government, including Brexit, guiding the country through the pandemic, and leading the West in opposing Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

However, he admitted that "in politics, no one is remotely indispensable."

The internal election to choose a new leader of the Conservative Party, who will also become the next prime minister, will likely occur during the summer.

Johnson's former right-hand man, Dominic Cummings, has urged Conservatives to oust him as prime minister today rather than allowing him to remain as caretaker prime minister.

"Johnson had previously rejected calls for his resignation from his Cabinet and the rest of the Conservative Party, digging in his heels over the past twenty-four hours even as dozens of officials resigned and previously loyal allies urged him to resign after yet another scandal engulfed his leadership.

Treasury Chief Nadhim Zahawi, one of his closest aides, advised the prime minister to quit for the country's welfare.

In a letter to Johnson, Zahawi stated, "Prime Minister: this is not sustainable, and it will only get worse: for you, for the Conservative Party, and most importantly of all the country," You must do the right thing and leave immediately.

Keir Starmer, the Labor Party leader, stated that Johnson's decision to retire was terrific news for the nation.

"But it should have happened long ago," stated the statement. "He was never qualified for office. He has been responsible for widespread deceit, scandal, and fraud. And those who were complicit should feel extreme shame."

He concluded his speech by saying: "We do not need to replace the Tory at the helm; rather, we require a complete change of administration. We require a new beginning for Britain."

The First Minister of Scotland and head of the Scottish National Party, Nicola Sturgeon, also opposed Johnson's continued service.

"There will be a widespread sense of relief that the chaos of the last few days (and months) will end," she wrote on Twitter. "However, the idea of Boris Johnson remaining as prime minister until autumn seems far from ideal and surely untenable."

On Wednesday, several of Johnson's most trusted Cabinet colleagues visited his office on Downing Street and urged him to resign after losing the confidence of his party. British media said that Johnson instead chose to battle for his political career and fired one of the Cabinet officials, Michael Gove.

In response to the announcement of Johnson's impending resignation, George Freeman, one of the ministers who recently quit, has asked for a caretaker prime minister to lead tonight.

Sir Keir Starmer, leader of the Labour Party, stated that the resignation was "good news for the country" but that it "should have happened long ago."

He stated in a declaration: "He was never qualified for office. He has been responsible for widespread deceit, scandal, and fraud. And those who were complicit should feel extreme shame.

Starmer stated, "enough is enough" and that "we don't need to change the Tory at the top – we need a proper change of government."

As of early Thursday morning, four Cabinet ministers had resigned, the most recent being Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis, who informed Prime Minister Johnson in his resignation letter that he "can no longer support the government's policies." "We have passed beyond the point of no return. I cannot compromise my personal integrity to maintain the current state of affairs."

Approximately forty junior government officials have also resigned due to the controversy over Johnson's handling of sexual misconduct claims against a senior official, which was the latest in a long line of concerns that have made Conservative lawmakers uneasy.

"He has violated the trust placed in him. He must acknowledge that he no longer possesses the moral power to lead. And for him, the game is up "The leader of the Scottish National Party, Ian Blackford, told the Associated Press.

Blackford stated that Johnson could not continue since his government had no ministers to respond to routine parliamentary business because so many had quit.

Until yet, most Cabinet officials have remained in their places, but a mass Cabinet walkout may have pushed him to resign if it rendered him incapable of running a functional government.

Johnson survived a vote of no confidence on June 6, despite his authority taking a hit because even then, 41% of his legislators voted to remove him. According to the existing party regulations, a year must elapse before another official challenge to the leadership may be initiated.

However, an influential group of Conservative legislators known as the 1922 Committee had the authority to modify the rules to allow a new vote of confidence within a shorter period.

Johnson, age 58, is renowned for his ability to escape difficult situations. He has remained in power despite charges that he was too close to party contributors, protected supporters from bullying and corruption allegations, deceived Parliament, and lied to the public about government office parties that violated pandemic lockdown regulations.

Recent revelations that Johnson was aware of sexual misconduct claims against Chris Pincher, a Conservative legislator, before promoting him to a top position brought the prime minister to the edge of resignation.

Pincher quit as deputy chief whip last week amid allegations that he inappropriately touched two men in a private club. This resulted in a series of reports detailing previous claims against Pincher and shifting explanations from the government over what Johnson knew when he appointed Pincher to a top position enforcing party discipline.

Sajid Javid, secretary of health, and Rishi Sunak, secretary of the Treasury, quit within minutes on Wednesday due to the controversy. The two Cabinet heavyweights were responsible for addressing the cost-of-living problem and Covid-19, two of the most pressing concerns facing the United Kingdom.

Javid reflected the sentiments of many parliamentarians when he stated that Johnson's activities threatened the Conservative Party and the British government.

"At some point we have to conclude that enough is enough," he told his colleagues on Wednesday. I believe that time has come.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, over 40 junior ministers and ministerial assistants resigned. A third Cabinet minister, Welsh Secretary Simon Hart, resigned late Wednesday, stating that "it is no longer possible to turn the ship around," and Lewis left early Thursday.

Johnson had attempted to defy the mathematics of parliamentary government and British political traditions. It is uncommon for a prime minister to maintain his position in the face of such intense opposition from Cabinet colleagues.

The closest analog may be Margaret Thatcher, the long-serving Conservative prime leader. In 1990, she attempted to remain in power despite her authority being damaged by conflicts over Britain's relationship with the European Union. However, she chose to quit after several Cabinet ministers advised her that her departure would be advantageous for the party.

 

The Guardian's front page on Thursday called him "Desperate, deluded."