BREAKING: Boris Johnson says he’ll stay on until new prime minister is in place

The prime minister has addressed the nation outside Number 10 following the news he will be stepping down.

He confirmed that he would be staying on until a ‘new leader is put in place’.

Johnson said: “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.

“I’ve agreed with Sir Graham Brady… that the process of choosing that new leader should begin now.”

Thanking those who voted Tory at the last election, he said: “The reason I have fought so hard over the last few days to continue to deliver that mandate in person was not just because I wanted to do so, but because I felt it was my job, my duty, my obligation to you.”

He continued: “I’m immensely proud of the achievements of this government in getting Brexit done, to settling our relations with the Continent… reclaiming the power for this country to make its own laws in Parliament.

“Getting this country through the pandemic, getting the fastest vaccine roll-out in Europe, the fastest exit from lockdown and in the last few months leading the West in standing up to Putin’s aggression in Ukraine.”

Johnson added: “It’s painful not to be able to see through so many projects myself. But as we’ve seen at Westminster the herd instinct is powerful.

“When the herd moves, it moves.”

Number 10 / Flickr

It was confirmed this morning that Johnson would resign as prime minister, following days of cabinet reshuffles, resignations and firings, which made his position untenable.

It all began on Tuesday evening, when Rishi Sunak quit as Chancellor of the Exchequer and Sajid Javid resigned as Health Secretary.

We then saw a large number of resignations, with numerous close allies telling Johnson he needed to stand down.

This included his new Chancellor, Nadhim Zahawi, who was only appointed to the role on Tuesday evening before calling on Johnson to quit this morning, Thursday July 7th.

A senior government source told both Sky News and BBC News that Boris Johnson will resign today.

Over the summer a Conservative leadership race will take place so that a new prime minister can be selected by the Tory party conference in October.