From: Prime Minister's. Former Cabinet Office minister Jacob Rees-Mogg said: 'It is such an obvious conflict of interest that it should be blocked.'. Ms Gray, who was second permanent secretary at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities until her abrupt resignation yesterday, is also facing accusations she may have broken civil service rules by not declaring the approaches she had received from Sir Keir or her acceptance of the job before asking approval from the ACOBA watchdog. This comes despite clear evidence the Conservatives were losing their electoral allure, having badly lost a pair of key byelections last month one of which, Tiverton and Honiton in Devon, they had previously held with a majority of 24,000 and polling showing that Johnson himself has become overwhelmingly unpopular. It saw her described as the most powerful civil servant you have never heard of. It is often said that he is not as rooted in the Conservative party as many of his fellow MPs and this speech left it hard to imagine him staying on as a backbencher after he finally leaves Downing Street. Boris Johnson has told the nation that he is resigning as leader of the Conservative Party and will step down as Prime Minister once his Tory successor has been chosen. I was very, very surprised. We will consider why Mr Johnson told the House that no guidance had been broken in No. Well ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. The cross-party MPs could potentially suspend him if they conclude the House was lied to. Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson ( / ffl /, [5] born 19 June 1964) is a British politician, writer and journalist who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 2019 to 2022. This is his speech in full: Good afternoon everybody. The revolt within his own party reached its peak afterDeputy Chief Whip Chris Pincher resigned following accusations of groping two men. The partygate inquiry has been attacked as a "plot" by allies of Boris Johnson after Sue Gray stepped down from the Civil Service to become Sir Keir Starmer's chief of staff.. A respected think-tank today said Ms Gray taking such a senior political job was 'unusual' and 'surprising'. When is Eurovision and how do you get tickets? Tory MP Mark Jenkinson said: 'The privileges committee document reveals that the material written by Sue Gray, who we now know is Keir Starmer's chief of staff, is at the heart of its work. Many had of course ended up advising him to quit but it is quite a snub to not rate a mention. And the reason I have fought so hard in 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 to continue to do what we promised in 2019. Anti- Brexit . Having apparently delayed the inevitable for as long as he could, Boris Johnson finally took to a podium outside 10 Downing Street on July 7 to say he would be stepping down as leader of the Conservative Party. The world is still reeling after Boris Johnson announced his resignation on Thursday - but one word from his speech is sticking out to political commentators more than most. In a statement earlier he said it is 'surreal to discover that the Committee proposes to rely on evidence culled and orchestrated by Sue Gray, who has just been appointed Chief of Staff to the Leader of the Labour Party'. A month before their wedding, nine police officers were killed and 40 people injured in an IRA mortar attack on the RUC base in the town. Critics pointed out that there was no sense of taking responsibility and no sense of apology. What he meantJohnsons allies were briefing on Thursday morning that he would remain in post until October, while a successor is chosen. And at the same time in this country, weve been pushing forward a vast program of investment in infrastructure and skills and technology the biggest in a century. Did he manage to walk the line? Jump to comments section Print this page. Johnson indicated in his resignation speech that he plans to remain in post until a successor is chosen. WATCH: Johnson announces resignation as Conservative leader. If the MPs suspend him for ten days or more, on the grounds that they believe Mr Johnson misled Parliament in December 2021 when he denied parties had taken place in No 10, that would automatically trigger a recall petition. The outgoing. In her former job as director-general of propriety and ethics in the Cabinet Office she had enormous power and long experience in Westminster scandals, and developed a fearsome reputation among ministers and officials. His choice of words was telling. Here is his resignation speech in full: "It is clearly now the will of the parliamentary Conservative Party that there should be a new leader of that party and therefore a new prime minister. Boris Johnson announces his resignation outside No. Before becoming prime minister he had seen no problem in rocking the boat. And my friends in politics, no-one is remotely indispensable and our brilliant and Darwinian system will produce another leader, equally committed to taking this country forward through tough times. One candidate is eliminated after each round of voting, until two are left standing. In his resignation letter, he pointed out that he had been in government for almost 16 years. And our fantastic prot force (protection force) detectives, the one group by the way, who never leak. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks to media next to 10 Downing Street in London, Thursday, July 7, 2022. Boris Johnson's resignation speech in full: 'Darwinian' politics, a Westminster 'herd instinct' and a warning to colleagues The prime minister made clear his reluctance to leave office, touching on personal highlights of his time in office as well as making a vow to the people of Ukraine. If that suspension was 10 days or more it would automatically trigger a recall petition in his Uxbridge and South Ruislip seat. Above all, I want to thank you, the British public, for the immense privilege that you have given me and I want you to know that from now on until the new prime minister is in place, your interests will be served and the government of the country will be carried on. WhatsApp messages given to the inquiry show advisers 'struggling' with how parties were within the rules, with one conceding an excuse 'blows another great gaping hole in the PM's account'. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed on Thursday he would stand down. He was forced to step down after itemerged a December 2020 quiz was held in his own department that he was aware of and spoke at. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? He received permission from the Speaker John Bercow to make a brief. and looking at what is happening in this country, the changes that are taking place, that is why the private sector is investing more venture capital investment than China itself, more billion pound tech companies sprouting here than in France, Germany and Israel combined, and as a result unemployment as I leave office, down to lows not seen since I was about ten years old and bouncing around on a space hopper, and on the subject of bouncing around and future careers, let me say that I am now like one of those booster rockets that has fulfilled its function, and I will now be gently re-entering the atmosphere and splashing down invisibly in some remote and obscure corner of the pacific, Andlike Cincinnatus I am returning to my plough, and I will be offering this government nothing but the most fervent support, this is a tough time for families up and down the country, we can and we will get through it and we will come out stronger the other side but I say to my fellow Conservatives it is time for the politics to be over folks, and its time for us all to get behind Liz Truss and her programme, and deliver for the people of this country, because that is what the people of this country want, thats what they need and thats what they deserve. I want to thank the wonderful staff here at Chequers here at Number 10, and of course at Chequers. who at a critical moment helped to extend my own period in office, as well as our armed services and our agencies that are so admired around the world, and our indefatigable Conservative Party members and supporters whose selfless campaigning makes our democracy possible. But thems the breaks. The final elimination round is on Wednesday, and conservative lawmakers will determine the final candidates. It is clearly now the will of the. colossal road programmes from the Pennines to Cornwall. It is clearly now the will of the parliamentary Conservative Party that there should be a new leader of that party and therefore a new prime minister, and Ive agreed with Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of our backbench M.P.s, that the process of choosing that new leader should begin now and the timetable will be announced next week. It also had just a touch of the Etonian insouciance with which Cameron ended his resignation speech, turning his back on the podium and whistling his way back through the big black door. Since 2019, Alexander Boris de Pfeffel . He botched the handling of the Covid pandemic, and he dragged his party through a humiliating string of self-inflicted scandals. 10 Downing St. on Thursday. I want to thank Carrie and our children, and all the members of my family who have had to put up with so much for so long. A spokesman for the Privileges Committee said: 'The committee's report is not based on the Sue Gray report. Boris Johnson's resignation speech in full on whatsapp (opens in a new window) Save. We use some essential cookies to make this website work. Two sources tell me the former prime minister is about to elevate his father . I want to thank Carrie and our children, all members of my family who have had to put up with so much, for so long. And I want you to know how sad I am to be giving up the best job in the world. That's why I said what I said in the House of Commons.'. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Since then, his time in power . I want to thank the wonderful staff here at No. She applied to run the service after the retirement of previous boss David Sterling, but the powersharing executive overlooked her and two other candidates, leaving the post unfilled. They suggest he made up his mind as he went to bed and was already working on his resignation speech by 6 am. In January last year she was drafted in from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities afterCabinet Secretary Simon Case quit his role leading the inquiry. Check benefits and financial support you can get, Find out about the Energy Bills Support Scheme, Prime Minister's Office, 10 Downing Street, Prime Minister Liz Truss's statement in Downing Street: 20 October 2022, Liz Truss's final speech as Prime Minister: 25 October 2022, Prime Minister Boris Johnson's statement in Downing Street: 7 July 2022, Prime Minister Liz Trusss statement: 6 September 2022, My five-point economic action plan for the G20. Boris Johnson resigned as UK Prime Minister today. Do not sell or share my personal information. Supporters of Johnson point to his personal appeal and the fact he delivered the party an 80-seat majority in 2019. Prime Minister Boris Johnsons statement in Downing Street, It is now clearly the will of the parliamentary conservative party that there should be a new leader of that party, that the process of choosing that new leader should begin now, and the timetable will be announced next week, and I have today appointed a cabinet to serve - as I will - until a new leader is in place, so I want to say to the millions of people who voted for us in 2019 many of them voting Conservative for the first time, the biggest Conservative majority since 1987, and the reason I have fought so hard for the last few days to continue to deliver that mandate in person, but because I felt it was my job, my duty, my obligation to you to continue to do what we promised in 2019, and of course I am immensely proud of the achievements of this government, from getting Brexit done and settling our relations with the continent after half a century, reclaiming the power for this country to make its own laws in parliament, delivering the fastest vaccine rollout in Europe, and in the last few months leading the west in standing up to Putins aggression in Ukraine, and let me say now to the people of Ukraine that I know that we in the UK will continue to back your fight for freedom for as long as it takes, and at the same time in this country we have at the same time been pushing forward a vast programme of investment in infrastructure, skills and technology, because if I have one insight into human beings, it is that genius and talent and enthusiasm and imagination are evenly distributed throughout the population, and that is why we need to keep levelling up, keep unleashing the potential of every part of the United Kingdom, and if we can do that in this country, we will be the most prosperous in Europe, and in the last few days I have tried to persuade my colleagues that it would be eccentric to change governments, andwhen we have such a vast mandate and when we are actually only a handful of points behind in the polls, even in mid term after quite a few months of pretty unrelenting sledging, and when the economic scene is so difficult domestically and internationally, andI regret not to have been successful in those arguments, and of course it is painful not to be able to see through so many ideas and projects myself, but as weve seen at Westminster, the herd is powerful and when the herd moves, it moves and, and my friends in politics no one is remotely indispensable, And our brilliant and Darwinian system will produce another leader equally committed to taking this country forward through tough times, not just helping families to get through it but changing and improving our systems, cutting burdens on businesses and families, because that is the way to generate the growth and the income we need to pay for great public services, and to that new leader I say, whoever he or she may be, I will give you as much support as I can, and to you the British people I know that there will be many who are relieved, but perhaps quite a few who will be disappointed, and I want you to know how sad I am to give up the best job in the world, I want to thank Carrie and our children, to all the members of my family who have had to put up with so much for so long, I want to thank the peerless British civil service for all the help and support that you have given, our police, our emergency services and of course our NHS who at a critical moment helped to extend my own period in office, as well as our armed services and our agencies that are so admired around the world and, I want to thank the wonderful staff here at Number Ten and of course at chequers and our fantastic protforce detectives the one group, by the way, who never leak, and above all I want to thank you the British public for the immense privilege you have given me, and I want you to know that from now until the new Prime Minister is in place, your interests will be served and the government of the country will be carried on, Being Prime Minister is an education in itself, I have travelled to every part of the United Kingdom and in addition to the beauty of our natural world. He previously served as Foreign Secretary from 2016 to 2018 and as Mayor of London from 2008 to 2016. And let me say now, to the people of Ukraine, that I know that we in the U.K. will continue to back your fight for freedom for as long as it takes. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has agreed to resign, his office said Thursday, ending an unprecedented political crisis over his future that has paralyzed Britain's government. Sue resumed her Civil Service career, working across Whitehall in transport, health and work and pensions, before joining the Cabinet Office in the late 1990s. This is a transcript of his speech, lightly edited for spelling, as reported by Reuters. Boris Johnson says he fought hard to remain in No 10 after colleagues revolted against his leadership. View gallery. And I want you to know how sad I am to be giving up the best job in the world. Nothing moves in Whitehall unless Sue says so.'. Boris Johnson's resignation speech reflects his fantasy about his leadership - and himself No one would know from listening that his government has left the country in crisis. Read Boris Johnson's resignation speech. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. the roll-out of gigabit broadband up over the last three years, since you were kind enough to elect me, up from 7 per cent of our countrys premises having gigabit broadband to 70 per cent today. Boris Johnson has resigned as Prime Minister after a turbulent week of walkouts by his top team. "And our indefatigable Conservative Party members and supporters whose selfless campaigning makes our democracy possible. Johnson spoke about his accomplishments during his farewell speech, mentioning successfully pulling out the U.K. from the European Union. Johnson admitted hiring Pincher was a mistake, and that he knew about the allegations when promoting him in 2019. "And at the same time in this country, we've been pushing forward a vast programme of investment in infrastructure and skills and technology - the biggest for a century. And we are of course providing the short and the long term solutions for our energy needs, and not just using more of our own domestic hydrocarbons but going up by 2030 to 50 GW of wind power, that is half this countrys energy electricity needs from offshore wind. Leon NealGetty. Bourne basketball led by Fantastic 4 (Andrade, Ullo, Reynolds and Dankert) in tourney win, Tolton's hot hand helps Scituate boys basketball weather second-half storm vs. Middleboro. The speech was followed by objections over its tone and led to calls for him to depart straight away rather than staying on until his successor is appointed. Johnsons version of this tradition was lukewarm at best: 0ur brilliant and Darwinian system will produce another leader equally committed to taking this country forward through tough times And to that new leader, whoever he or she may be, I say: I will give you as much support as I can. "And in the last few days, I tried to persuade my colleagues that it would be eccentric to change governments when we're delivering so much and when we have such a vast mandate and when we're actually only a handful of points behind in the polls, even in mid-term, after quite a few months of pretty relentless sledging and when the economic scene is so difficult domestically and internationally. An alternative perspective is that he did not get Brexit done, as the ongoing wrangle over the Northern Ireland protocol underlines. What he meantThis was Johnsons most pointed dig against those who moved against him, underlining the extraordinary fact that even in the past 24 hours, as government ministers resigned en masse, he continued to believe he could turn things around. "And to that new leader, I say whoever he or she may be, I say I will give you as much support as I can. 0. However, shadow culture secretary Lucy Powell said Ms Gray is widely regarded as an 'incredibly professional, impartial and generous person who was really good at her job'. And thats why we must keep leveling up, keep unleashing the potential in every part of the United Kingdom. Convincing Tory MPs of that has been key to Rishi Sunak surviving this long without anyone condemning the deal. Downing Street . I want to thank the wonderful staff here at Chequers - here at Number 10, and of course at Chequers. "Not just helping families to get through it, but changing and improving the way we do things, cutting burdens on businesses and families and yes, cutting taxes, because that is the way to generate the growth and the income we need to pay for great public services. And to you, the British public. She served as director general for propriety and ethics in the Cabinet Office from 2012 to 2018, meaning she was involved in reshuffles and inquiries into rule-breaking by ministers. Boris Johnson resigns as Conservative party leader. But as weve seen at Westminster the herd instinct is powerful and when the herd moves, it moves. The comments below have not been moderated. The Labour leader was "delighted" that the senior civil servant plans to "accept the role subject to the normal procedures", his party said. Well send you a link to a feedback form. .css-1ppocxd{height:1em;width:1.5em;margin-right:3px;vertical-align:baseline;fill:#AB0613;}Ive agreed with Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of our backbench MPs, that the process of choosing that new leader should begin now. "And of course, I'm immensely proud of the achievements of this government, from getting Brexit done to settling our relations with the Continent for over half a century, reclaiming the power for this country to make its own laws in Parliament, getting us all through the pandemic, delivering the fastest vaccine rollout 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. Photo by: KGC-254/STAR MAX/IPx 2022 9/6/22 Boris Johnson delivers his final speech as British Prime Minister outside 10 Downing Street, London, UK on September 6, 2022. On Thursday (7 July), Johnson announced he would step down as prime minister following a series of resignations in protest over his leadership. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. Boris Johnson's resignation speech: what he said, and what he meant Analysis: PM was bullish, resentful and unrepentant as he reprised what he saw as his achievements All the day's politics. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the announcement had not yet been made. Michael Drummond Foreign news reporter @MikeRDrummond Labour said Ms Gray will abide by the verdict of ACOBA anyway, meaning Mr Sunak might not need to take action to enforce it. And our indefatigable Conservative Party members and supporters whose selfless campaigning makes our democracy possible. Boris Johnsoninsisted there is 'no evidence' he lied to MPs today after a committee claimed lockdown breaches in Downing Street would have been 'obvious'. . This ultimately means his time as prime minister is over too. By Philip Collins Photo by Kyle Heller / No10 Downing Street Several Conservative Party members have publicly expressed their discontent with Johnson's government, and the party has reached 60 resignations. Here is the full text of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's resignation speech, delivered Thursday outside 10 Downing St: "It is clearly now the will of the parliamentary Conservative Party . These devices are standard in campaign-type speaking, or in speeches at party conferences or conventions. 'Just imagine that I had genuinely thought that stuff was going on in No 10 that was Covid rule-breaking. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.