London, Thursday, 7 July 2022
More than 50 members of his administration have resigned in the last 48 hours, and pressure from this large number forced British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to announce his resignation on Thursday.
Johnson will step down as the head of the Conservative Party, but it's unclear if he'll stay on as prime minister until the party chooses a replacement.
According to a statement from No. 10, the prime minister will address the nation today (Thursday).
Despite his office's statement last night that Johnson is still "totally defiant" and "does not intend to quit," Johnson was forced to make the choice to resign after a string of resignations on Thursday morning.
Brandon Lewis, the secretary for Northern Ireland, was followed on Thursday morning by other ministers, including Michelle Donelan, the recently appointed secretary for education.
A moral and accountable government, according to Lewis, "relies on honesty, integrity, and respect for one another."
After the resignations, the newly appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer, Nadhim Zahawi, openly pushed Johnson to step down.
After Rishi Sunak's resignation, Zahawi, who was chosen as chancellor just two days previously, claimed that he did so out of loyalty to the nation.
Along with my colleagues in No. 10, I made it clear to the prime minister yesterday that there was only one course for this and that he should retire with dignity, Zahawi added.
I kept this advice to myself out of respect for him and in the hopes that he would pay attention to a 30-year-old friend.
The magnificent accomplishments of this government are being undermined at this late hour, according to Zahawi, who expressed his "heartbreak" at his refusal to listen.
The nation "deserves a government that is not only stable, but also acts with honesty," he continued.
"Prime Minister, you understand in your heart what is right; leave right away."
(Report by: The Decision Maker – International Relations editors)(
(Picture by: Wikipedia)