Summary

  • Boris Johnson has quit as Conservative leader, saying it is "clearly now the will" of Tory MPs that there should be a new leader

  • He pledges to stay on as PM until a successor is chosen - but a growing number of Tory MPs say he has to leave No 10 now

  • Johnson assured cabinet this afternoon he would only act as a caretaker PM while remaining in position, new Welsh Secretary Robert Buckland says

  • But ex-PM Sir John Major says Johnson should go now for the good of the country

  • Labour also says Johnson must leave office, saying they could try to bring a no confidence vote in Parliament

  • Downing Street announces 12 new ministers, filling some of the posts left vacant by the recent wave of resignations

  • Foreign Secretary Liz Truss - a possible leadership contender who has remained silent for days - says her party needs to keep governing until a new leader is found

  1. Goodnight for now, join us again tomorrowpublished at 22:56 British Summer Time 7 July 2022

    Boris JohnsonImage source, Getty Images

    We're pausing our live coverage shortly, after a rather eventful day.

    Here's a round-up of what happened:

    • Boris Johnson announced his resignation, but said wants to stay on as PM until the Conservative Party elects a new leader
    • A timetable for succession is set to be announced by the 1922 Committee of backbench MPs next week
    • But some in the party, such as Lord Michael Heseltine and former PM Sir John Major, have called for him to go now
    • No 10 has announced the new ministers appointed to fill the gaps left after the mass resignations this week
    • A leadership contest is already under way, with transport secretary Grant Shapps and former health secretary Sajid Javid considering running in the Conservative leadership contest, while Attorney General Suella Braverman and Tonbridge and Malling MP Tom Tugendhat are putting their names forward
    • Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has warned that if Johnson does not step down immediately, his party would table a vote of no confidence in the government in Parliament
    • In a meeting with his new cabinet members, Johnson said "major fiscal decisions" would be left for the next prime minister and the government "would not seek to implement new policies"
    • Downing Street has not denied reports that the prime minister and his wife Carrie Johnson are planning to hold a wedding party at Chequers later this month

    Today's coverage was brought to you by: Nathan Williams, Chris Giles, Jeremy Gahagan, Alex Therrien, Heather Sharp, Richard Morris, Emily McGarvey, Marita Maloney, Sam Hancock, Alexandra Fouché, Aoife Walsh, Adam Durbin and Catherine Evans.

  2. What happens now?published at 22:51 British Summer Time 7 July 2022

    As you're probably aware by now, Boris Johnson has resigned as Conservative leader and will step down as prime minister when a replacement is found. But how does that happen?

    In theory the prime minister could resign immediately and a caretaker could take over - but while there are calls for this from Tory MPs, opposition parties and Conservative Party grandees like former PM John Major - there is currently no indication this will happen.

    He could also be ousted by a vote of no confidence in Parliament, but this would rely on Tory MPs supporting an opposition motion and voting against their own government - an unlikely scenario.

    So the most probable course of events to find a new PM is an internal leadership election replaces Johnson as the top Tory.

    It's been suggested that process could last until October, although it could be much shorter with the replacement of Theresa May as leader only taking two months.

    Conservative Party leadership votes are split into two sections. In the first phase MPs whittle down a list of colleagues who put their names forward in a series of votes until two final candidates remain.

    These two final MPs are then put to the party membership to pick who will be the next leader.

    Read our analysis of how the next few weeks and months could play out - as well as the ins and outs of internal Tory politics - here.

    Graphic showing how the Conservative Party elects a new leaderImage source, .
  3. For the EU, does Johnson's exit just mean more uncertainty?published at 22:43 British Summer Time 7 July 2022

    Katya Adler
    Europe Editor

    Boris Johnson and European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen during a round of Brexit talks in 2020Image source, Reuters

    Is the European Union rubbing its hands with glee at Boris Johnson's downfall? Yes but also no.

    When asked by journalists on Thursday if any extra bottles of champagne had been ordered in response to news of his resignation, an EU spokesman drily responded: "We have a very limited consumption of alcoholic beverages in the (European) Commission."

    This, a presumed dig at Johnson, who recently admitted there was "a problem with alcohol" in UK political circles.

    He was also accused of tolerating and attending boozy gatherings at Downing Street during the strict Covid lockdown.

    All over the European press, Johnson is not beloved in the EU.

    'Borexit' screamed Germany's biggest tabloid, Bild on Thursday. It also chose to write an English headline: "Bye Bye Boris".

    But most EU diplomats I've been chatting to regard the mass resignations of Conservative ministers around Boris Johnson as self-serving attempts to save their career rather than signs of disagreement with his policies, Brexit-related or otherwise.

    "This Johnson resignation just means more uncertainty for us Europeans. More UK inward-looking obsession with its own domestic dramas, rather than looking outwards towards partners abroad," grumbled one particularly fed-up EU diplomat.

    Read more

  4. In pictures: The rise and fall of Boris Johnsonpublished at 22:29 British Summer Time 7 July 2022

    We've put together a compilation of the pictures capturing the rise and fall of Boris Johnson - from his days as an Eton schoolboy, his time as London mayor, to the events of his two and a half years as Prime Minister.

    Here are five iconic shots of his career:

    Boris Johnson and David Cameron holding their hands aloft in celebrationImage source, STEFAN ROUSSEAU / PA MEDIA
    Image caption,

    Celebrating his successful campaign to be London mayor in 2008 with future PM David Cameron

    Johnson on a zipwire waving two Union flags during celebrations of the London 2012 OlympicsImage source, BARCROFT MEDIA / GETTY IMAGES
    Image caption,

    Johnson famously got stuck on a zipwire waving two Union flags during celebrations of the London 2012 Olympics

    Boris Johnson and Michael GoveImage source, STEFAN ROUSSEAU / PA MEDIA
    Image caption,

    He was a figurehead for the successful Leave campaign during 2016 EU referendum, when he and Michael Gove campaigned for the UK to end its membership

    Boris Johnson in a boxing ring wearing gloves with the words Get Brexit Done written on themImage source, STEFAN ROUSSEAU / PA MEDIA
    Image caption,

    Johnson's winning 2019 general election campaign was centred around his pledge to "get Brexit done".

    Boris Johnson at a lectern in Downing Street with the slogan Protect the NHS written on itImage source, IAN VOGLER / DAILY MIRROR / PA MEDIA
    Image caption,

    He was confronted early on in his premiership by the Covid-19 pandemic, which led to his calling the first lockdown in March 2020

  5. Who is Tom Tugendhat?published at 22:18 British Summer Time 7 July 2022

    Tom TugendhatImage source, Getty Images

    He's announced he's standing to be the next leader of the Conservative Party - and prime minister.

    But what do we know about Tom Tugendhat? Here are a few facts about the Tonbridge and Malling MP.

    • He's a former soldier and served in Iraq and Afghanistan
    • The 49-year old is married, with two children
    • He's never served in government, but is currently chair of the foreign affairs select committee
    • He holds dual British and French citizenship
    • First elected in Kent in 2015, he was re-elected in 2019
    • Before becoming an MP he was the military assistant to the Chief of the Defence Staff.
    • Tugendhat’s father is the High Court Judge Sir Michael Tugendhat and his uncle is the Conservative politician and former EU Commissioner, Christopher Tugendhat

  6. Would a new PM need to hold an early election?published at 22:10 British Summer Time 7 July 2022

    Dog outside polling stationImage source, Getty Images

    Boris Johnson has stood down as Conservative leader, but will continue to serve as PM until the party chooses his successor.

    When is the next general election due?

    UK general elections - where all 650 MPs are elected to the House of Commons - have to be held no more than five years apart.

    Unless an earlier one is called, the next election isn't due until January 2025.

    Would a new PM need to hold an early election?

    Now that Johnson has resigned, the Conservative Party will need to choose a new leader. The winner of that contest will become the next PM.

    The new PM would not be obliged to call an early election - but could do so if they wished.

    When Gordon Brown took over from Labour prime minister Tony Blair in 2007, for example, he did not hold an early election.

    How is an early election called?

    If a PM wants an early election they need to make a "request" to the Queen to dissolve Parliament - the official term for closing Parliament in order to hold an election.

    Read more about the process here

  7. Tugendhat launches leadership bidpublished at 21:51 British Summer Time 7 July 2022

    Tom TugendhatImage source, House of Commons

    Chair of the Commons foreign affairs committee Tom Tugendhat has launched his bid to become the next leader of the Conservative Party - and prime minister.

    In an article in the Telegraph newspaper, he says he would bring a "clean start". He writes that he wants to build a "broad coalition of colleagues" to "bring new energy and ideas to government" and "bridge the Brexit divide".

    Setting out his stall, he writes that "taxes, bluntly, are too high." Specifically: "We should immediately reverse the recent National Insurance hike and let hard-working people, and employers, keep more of their money. Fuel tax must come down. And un-conservative tariffs, that push up prices for consumers, should be dropped."

    He talks about the cost of living as an "national security issue" and says there should be more police on the streets to tackle crime.

  8. Voters ask for 'credible leader' after 'embarrassing' Johnson tenurepublished at 21:38 British Summer Time 7 July 2022

    Kim Pringle
    Image caption,

    Kim Pringle believes the current political situation is "ridiculous"

    We've been hearing from people around the country in the wake of Boris Johnson's resignation announcement.

    In Cheltenham, where MP Alex Chalk resigned as solicitor general yesterday, voters have been sharing their views on a seismic day for UK politics.

    Kim Pringle says she is "disgusted" with politics in Britain, the government and the cabinet.

    "They have no scruples, they have no morals and they have no integrity. And the lies, that have come since Boris went on his campaign. It’s just astounding," she says.

    Nichola Vaughan
    Image caption,

    Nichola Vaughan says the government doesn't fully take account of voters' intentions

    Nichola Vaughan, a self-confessed "floating voter", says "everybody needs to take a deep breath".

    She adds: "I think that people in government need to realise that a lot of people in this county are not London centric, not government centric. We base our views and our votes on the people in our local area...sometimes I’m Lib Dem, sometimes I’m Conservative.”

    Daksha Mistry
    Image caption,

    Daksha Mistry says someone needs to take over who can "command respect"

    Also reacting from Cheltenham is Daksha Mistry, who says the country needs a leader with "credibility" who can garner respect.

    “We were avid supporters of the Conservatives, and he’s [Johnson] pretty much just embarrassed us lately," she says.

  9. Some MPs turn heads as they accept new postspublished at 21:16 British Summer Time 7 July 2022

    Ione Wells
    Political Correspondent, BBC News

    Earlier today, one Tory MP - who quit dramatically from a government post yesterday - told me ministerial posts could prove a challenge to fill.

    But, they added, some might accept positions if only to "put the country first" and keep government functioning.

    Certainly a few of tonight's appointments have turned heads.

    Will Quince has returned as an education minister. Remember he quit after being wheeled out to defend Downing Street's handling of the Chris Pincher sexual misconduct allegations - later saying he was "given assurances" the prime minister had no knowledge of former allegations against Mr Pincher, which turned out to be incorrect.

    Johnny Mercer's appointment as a veterans minister has also caused chatter in Westminster circles.

    In April last year he resigned from this post - saying he was "forced" to over the treatment of veterans who served in Northern Ireland.

    He gave a series of hostile interviews at the time - saying the government had "abandoned people" in a way he couldn't reconcile.

    Clearly he's been able to reconcile that now.

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  10. Inside No 10 after Johnson's resignation speechpublished at 21:02 British Summer Time 7 July 2022

    These new pictures released by No 10 give us an insight into the moments after the prime minister resigned.

    Prime Minister Boris Johnson walks back through the No 10 door after delivering his statementImage source, No 10 Downing Street
    Image caption,

    Prime Minister Boris Johnson walks back through the No 10 door after delivering his statement

    Johnson with his wife Carrie and their childrenImage source, No 10 Downing Street
    Image caption,

    Here he is hugging his wife Carrie and their children

    Johnson hugs his son WilfredImage source, No 10 Downing Street
    Image caption,

    With his son Wilfred

    The prime minister chairs a cabinet meeting after his resignation speechImage source, No 10 Downing Street
    Image caption,

    And chairing a cabinet meeting after his resignation speech

  11. Minister who quit over 'inaccurate briefings' returns a day laterpublished at 20:51 British Summer Time 7 July 2022

    Will Quince

    An MP who said he had "no choice" but to resign yesterday - after "inaccurate briefings" about the Chris Pincher affair - is back in the education department a day later.

    Rewinding back to Monday, Colchester MP Will Quince defended Boris Johnson, saying the PM "was not aware" of allegations made against Pincher. It was a line that unravelled, prompting Quince's departure.

    Tonight Quince is on a list of new appointments, working for the same prime minister.

  12. Dangerous to allow Johnson stay on as PM - Lord Heseltinepublished at 20:24 British Summer Time 7 July 2022

    Lord HeseltineImage source, Reuters

    Veteran Conservative Lord Michael Heseltine says Boris Johnson should leave office straight away.

    The former deputy prime minister says there is a "lack of trust" in Johnson.

    "Leaving him in a position where he can use the power of the premiership to suit his own causes and his own interests is a very dangerous thing to do”, he tells the BBC.

    "It will merely perpetuate the uncertainty," he adds.

    The Conservative veteran says rules should be adopted to speed up the process of choosing a new prime minister and Johnson’s deputy, Dominic Raab, should be put in place in the meantime.

    It comes after, as we reported earlier, former Prime Minister Sir John Major said it was "unwise" for Boris Johnson to remain in office while his successor is chosen.

  13. WATCH: Voters share views on the PM's resignationpublished at 20:12 British Summer Time 7 July 2022

    Media caption,

    Boris Johnson resigns as Tory leader: Voters from across England react to the news

    We've been speaking to voters to gather their views on the frantic events of the last few days.

    Critics of the PM accused him being "economical with the truth", while supporters said it was a "real shame" to see him leave office.

  14. What do early polls say?published at 20:05 British Summer Time 7 July 2022

    Polling expert Professor Sir John Curtice says recent polling indicates the events of the last 48 hours have negatively impacted the public's willingness to vote for the Conservative Party.

    He tells the BBC that one poll taken on Thursday after the raft of ministerial resignations put Tory support at 31%, which Curtice says is "as bad as it was at the height of the Partygate scandal".

    However, the University of Strathclyde academic cautions it is still "early days" to know what the public think.

    Quote Message

    But it's certainly, on that first indication, not done [Tory polling] any good and underlines the potential problem that faces whoever becomes the next Conservative leader."

  15. Question Time live from Barnsley after a manic few dayspublished at 19:50 British Summer Time 7 July 2022

    Pictures of Dehenna Davison, Bridget Phillipson, Winston Marshall, Alastair Campbell and Tim Stanley

    For those who can't get enough of robust debate, BBC Question Time will be live tonight from Barnsley.

    The panellists looking at the twists and turns of the last few days in Westminster will be:

    • Dehenna Davison, Conservative MP for Bishop Auckland
    • Labour's shadow education secretary Bridget Phillipson
    • Winston Marshall, musician and former member of Mumford and Sons
    • Alastair Campbell, former press secretary for Labour PM Tony Blair
    • Daily Telegraph columnist Tim Stanley

    You can watch the show live on iPlayer from 20:00 BST and at 22:55 on BBC One .

  16. Analysis

    What's the reaction around the world?published at 19:35 British Summer Time 7 July 2022

    News of Boris Johnson's resignation is big news globally, and BBC correspondents have been gathering reactions where they are.

    Anthony Zurcher, North America reporter:

    Quote Message

    To many Democrats like President Joe Biden, Johnson and Donald Trump are political peas in a pod, with similar views on trade and immigration and similarly iconoclastic political instincts. By their logic, anything that is bad for Johnson bodes ill for Trump and his Republican allies. And anything that hurts Trump is good for the Democrats. Biden may want to take pause, however, as Johnson's undoing could have less in common with Trump's political disposition than with his own."

    Katya Adler, Europe editor:

    Quote Message

    Few in mainland Europe will shed a tear when Johnson goes. Politicians blame him for blustering his way through Brexit. They accuse him of failing to be honest with the British people about its true implications. Wholesale rejection of Johnson's bill currently making its way through parliament, to unilaterally re-write the international post-Brexit treaty on Northern Ireland, has managed to unite the normally bickering EU institutions: the Commission, Parliament and Council."

    Karishma Vaswani, Asia presenter:

    Quote Message

    This is big news in places like Australia, India, Malaysia and in Singapore - countries that have had historical links to the UK and inherited their parliamentary system as part of being previous colonies. More than one commentator has asked the question: what kind of signal is the UK sending about the state of democracy to the rest of the world, when even after a number of his colleagues have asked for him to step down - ostensibly for the good of the country - the leader initially refused to go?"

    Pumza Filhlani, southern Africa reporter:

    Quote Message

    For those keenly following British politics on the continent, a common thread is emerging from early reaction to news of Boris Johnson's resignation as party leader and prime minister in a few months' time: one of envy. Those who've taken to social media have lamented how uncommon it is in many African countries for a leader to step down from power or even for his party to force him to leave over a lack of performance."

    Read our correspondents' analysis here in full.

  17. No 10 announces new ministerspublished at 19:25 British Summer Time 7 July 2022
    Breaking

    Downing Street has just released a list of ministers it has appointed after the slew of resignations in the past few days:

    • Johnny Mercer MP to be a Minister of State (Minister for Veterans’ Affairs) at the Cabinet Office. He will attend Cabinet
    • Graham Stuart MP to be a Minister of State at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
    • Stephen McPartland MP to be a Minister of State (Minister for Security) at the Home Office
    • Tom Pursglove MP to be a Minister of State jointly at the Home Office and the Ministry of Justice
    • James Heappey MP to be a Minister of State at the Ministry of Defence
    • Will Quince MP to be a Minister of State at the Department for Education
    • Maria Caulfield MP to be a Minister of State at the Department for Health and Social Care
    • Paul Scully MP to be a Minister of State at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. He remains as Minister for London
    • Marcus Jones MP to be a Minister of State at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
    • Matt Warman MP to be a Minister of State at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
    • Trudy Harrison MP to be a Minister of State at the Department for Transport
    • Edward Timpson CBE MP to be Solicitor General
  18. What's the latest?published at 19:15 British Summer Time 7 July 2022

    Boris JohnsonImage source, Reuters

    It's been an eventful day with Boris Johnson saying he will step down as prime minister. If you're just joining us or need a recap, here are the main developments from the past few hours:

    • Johnson will remain as prime minister in a caretaker capacity until the Conservative party has elected a new leader, a newly appointed member of the cabinet says
    • A timetable for succession is set to be announced by the 1922 Committee of backbench MPs next week
    • But many Conservative figures, including former Prime Minister Sir John Major, have said Johnson should go sooner
    • Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has warned that if Mr Johnson does not step down immediately, his party would table a vote of no confidence in the government in Parliament
    • In a meeting with his new cabinet members, Johnson said "major fiscal decisions" would be left for the next prime minister and the government "would not seek to implement new policies"
    • Transport secretary Grant Shapps and former health secretary Sajid Javid are considering running in the Conservative leadership contest, while Attorney General Suella Braverman says she will put her name forward
    • Deputy PM Dominic Raab and Michael Gove have both ruled themselves out the race
    • Downing Street has not denied reports that the prime minister and his wife Carrie Johnson are planning to hold a wedding party at Chequers later this month
  19. Uxbridge voters: 'It's about time he quit'published at 19:05 British Summer Time 7 July 2022

    Adam Shaw
    Reporting from Uxbridge

    Maqsud Gillani
    Image caption,

    Maqsud Gillani was one Uxbridge voter who voiced sympathy for his MP

    Voters in Boris Johnson’s constituency of Uxbridge and South Ruislip have largely backed his decision to resign as Conservative Party leader, as some argued it was time for him to step down as their MP too.

    Sheila Gibb, who says she's never supported Johnson, suggests he won't “be able to show his face” in west London anymore.

    “He’ll be totally shamefaced, I’m sure he’ll resign as an MP. That’s what he should do as well, but he’s got no integrity."

    Mark Lewis
    Image caption,

    Mark Lewis

    Fellow Uxbridge resident Mark Lewis, who compares Johnson to “an ostrich burying his head in the sand”, agrees his time as an MP could be up.

    “He doesn’t care about this area, he never has. The only reason he became an MP is so he could become prime minister. He just happened to pick here."

    Rodney and Dorothy Shuttle say they are “pleased” to see Johnson quit, arguing his tenure was dotted with issues that had upset the public.

    Dorothy and Rodney Shuttle
    Image caption,

    Dorothy and Rodney Shuttle

    “It’s about time, he’s been caught out once too often. He should have stepped down a while back. Now it’s all about who’s going to replace him because there’s not much out there," Dorothy says.

    While most people say it was the right decision for Johnson to stand down, some Uxbridge locals have sympathy for the situation he found himself in.

    Maqsud Gillani said: “He did OK for a long time and made some good calls. I think we did well during Covid and with the vaccine programme as that was very tough for him."

    Another resident, Dolores, who did not want to give her surname, says Johnson "did a good job" as PM and that he will "keep fighting for Uxbridge".

  20. Why do junior minister vacancies matter?published at 18:37 British Summer Time 7 July 2022

    Joseph Cassidy
    BBC Political Research Unit

    Following the wave of resignations over the last two days, there are 28 junior minister vacancies - but why does this matter?

    Junior ministers get a lot less attention than their cabinet bosses, but their work is vital to the normal functioning of government.

    What they do can vary from department to department, but put simply they often handle a lot of the less glamorous responsibilities - what one former minister described to the Institute for Government as "the routine stuff, the nuts and bolts", external.

    This could include dealing with correspondence, replying to questions from MPs and making sure bills get passed through Parliament smoothly.

    For example, the Online Safety Bill - which introduces wide-reaching reforms of how the internet is regulated - returns to Parliament next week, but the minister responsible for it, Chris Philp, has resigned and is yet to be replaced.