Boris Johnson Resigns as Leader of the Conservative Party... Prime Minister Position to Continue Until Autumn

Resignation Following the Prime Minister's Departure Call by 48 Deputy Minister-Level Officials

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who faced resignation pressure due to a mass cabinet resignation, will step down as leader of the ruling Conservative Party.

On the 7th (local time), the BBC reported that Johnson would announce his resignation that day. The BBC stated that Johnson would step down as Conservative Party leader but would remain Prime Minister until a new leader takes office in the fall.

Accordingly, the Conservative Party is expected to hold a leadership election in the summer and select a new prime minister before the party conference in early October.

Johnson, who announced his intention to resign just one month after surviving a Conservative Party confidence vote, will leave office in disgrace less than three years after taking office.

Until the night before, Johnson had firmly stated he would hold his ground, but as the cabinet faced a collapse crisis due to successive resignations, he could no longer keep his position.

Starting with the resignation of Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak, that morning, Nadim Zahawi, appointed as Chancellor two days earlier, and Michelle Donelan, Secretary of State for Education, also resigned, pressuring Johnson.

Johnson, who took office in July 2019, managed crises such as Brexit and COVID-19 policies well, but his political career suffered a major blow due to the 'Partygate' scandal that emerged late last year.

Johnson’s approval ratings plummeted after reports that parties were held at the Prime Minister’s office during COVID-19 lockdowns, violating quarantine rules, and public outrage grew over his false explanations to cover up the incident, severely damaging his morality.

Additionally, the recent sharp rise in prices and recession concerns due to the Ukraine war have also contributed to the spread of criticism toward the prime minister and the current government.

The BBC reported, “The leadership election will be held this summer, and a new prime minister will be appointed in line with the Conservative Party conference in October.”