Boris Johnson has resigned as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom following the resignation of 38 Members of Parliament in less than 48 hours.
Johnson confirmed his resignation on Thursday morning, stating that he will remain in the position of prime minister until a replacement Conservative leader is found.
Speaking outside Downing Street, he said it was “clearly the will of the parliamentary Conservative party” for him to step down.
Johnson said it was “painful” not to be able to deliver on his plans, blaming the “herd instinct” in Westminster for his downfall, stating, “Them’s the breaks.”
He branded the Tories’ decision to oust him as “eccentric”.
Johnson’s plan to remain as prime minister until a new leader is found is already proving divisive, with many in his own party calling for him to quit right away and allow a caretaker leader to take the reins.
How will a new PM be elected?
According to international news agency Yahoo, “the process to elect a new Conservative leader usually lasts around 12 weeks, with MPs vying for leadership in a similar way to a general election.”
Prospective leaders “will need two nominations from other Tory MPs to run – after which party MPs would hold a ballot to choose the candidates, with those receiving the least votes eliminated until only two remain,” the agency further shared.
The decision of who becomes the leader is down to Conservative party members as it’s entirely an internal party matter, therefore not requiring a general election.