U.K. prime minister Boris Johnson is resigning as leader of the Conservative Party, but will remain on as prime minister until a new party leader is picked to succeed him, he announced on Thursday.
“Our brilliant and Darwinian system will produce another leader,” declared Johnson, who admitted that it is “painful not to see through so many ideas and projects.”
Johnson is stepping down after much of his government — including many prominent members of his cabinet — abandoned him over the course of the last several days, calling on him to leave office in the wake of a series of scandals that have plagued 10 Downing Street and led to the erosion of public support for Johnson.
The revolt within Johnson’s party began after Deputy Chief Whip Chris Pincher resigned last week after he was accused of groping two men.
Johnson apologized for appointing Pincher despite being told about the allegations in 2019, saying hiring him was a “mistake” on Tuesday.
Minutes after Johnson’s admission, Rishi Sunak, chancellor of the Exchequer, Sajid Javid, secretary of state for health and social care, and Bim Afolami, the Tory vice-chair, all announced their resignations from Johnson’s government.
Johnson has also been scrutinized for holding illegal parties in his office after imposing strict lockdowns on the rest of the country during the COVID-19 pandemic. He refused to step down after the scandal and survived a vote of confidence in June.
Johnson became prime minister in 2019 after winning a Tory leadership contest, and secured his position in a landslide general election victory later that year, flipping many areas of the country that had long favored the Labour Party.
The U.K. formally withdrew from the European Union under Johnson’s leadership in 2020 after he ran for office on the slogan “Get Brexit Done.”
Candidates to succeed Johnson as leader of the Conservative Party need the support of eight members of parliament to make it on to the ballot, and will go through several rounds of voting among the Tory benches until only two contenders remain. Conservative Party members across the country will then be responsible for picking the winner, and next prime minister.