Gone but not gone: Boris Johnson quits but clings on to power

Boris Johnson dramatically quit as prime minister after a mass walkout of MPs finally sealed his fate, signalling an end to one of the most divisive and turbulent periods in British politics.

In a speech outside Downing Street on Thursday that was tinged with bitterness, he blamed ministers for turning on him but expressed neither regret nor contrition for his mistakes.

Johnson told a newly patched-together interim cabinet on Thursday afternoon that no major policies, tax decisions or other changes of direction would be made before the handover to a new leader.

His premiership, which will have lasted just three years, was overshadowed by the catastrophic Covid crisis, and marred by persistent claims of sleaze, which saw two ethics advisers resign.

Johnson made no apology for any of the self-inflicted scandals that prompted his party to turn against him, including the hiring of an alleged sexual predator, Chris Pincher, as deputy chief whip.

His statement followed an extraordinary standoff with his own cabinet. Late into Wednesday evening, his aides were insisting that he would stay and fight despite a delegation of cabinet ministers urging him to go, and scores of frontbenchers resigning.

But as the resignations gathered pace to exceed 50 on Thursday morning, with even Nadhim Zahawi, appointed as chancellor only two days earlier, publicly calling for him to go, Johnson agreed to step aside. Johnson will stay on while another prime minister is chosen.

Zahawi has a well-organised leadership campaign prepared, advised by an ally of the elections guru Lynton Crosby. He has signed up a number of MPs to back him, including a significant tally of those who resigned from government over the past few days, in an effort to demonstrate that he stayed only in the national interest.

Other candidates who were calling MPs over the course of Thursday included Rishi Sunak, the former chancellor, and Sajid Javid, the erstwhile health secretary, who both quit on Tuesday.

Tugendhat confirmed that he would stand on Thursday evening, after discussions with allies to determine whether he had the numbers to mount a challenge.

The PM was pictured hugging his family inside No 10 after his speech, carrying his son Wilfred as he kissed Carrie, who was holding their nine-month-old daughter, Romy.

The Labour leader, Keir Starmer, said his party would table a motion of no confidence in the government in the House of Commons if Johnson did not step aside straight away.

Buckland will be Welsh secretary, and Clark will take over the job of levelling up, replacing Michael Gove, who was ruthlessly sacked by Johnson late on Wednesday evening as he fought to save his premiership.