Scottish secretary Alister Jack sorry to see 'good friend Boris' resign

Alister Jack [first right] stood alongside Nadine Dorries and Boris Johnson's wife Carrie to hear the PM's resignation statement

Secretary of State for Scotland Alister Jack has said he is sad to see Boris Johnson standing down.

The UK's prime minister announced his intention to go during a speech outside No 10 Downing Street.

After a series of ministerial resignations on Wednesday and Thursday Mr Jack had been left as the sole nations representative in the cabinet.

For now Mr Johnson will remain prime minister and is making new appointments to his team.

Shailesh Vara is to replace Brandon Lewis after he resigned as Northern Ireland secretary and Robert Buckland returns to the cabinet as Wales secretary.

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Mr Johnson said a timetable for a leadership contest would be announced next week and the winner of that contest would become the next UK prime minister.

Following Mr Johnson resignation address, Mr Jack issued a statement saying he wished him well in the future.

He added: "I know that the next leader of the Conservative Party will build on Boris Johnson's many achievements. I look forward to the party electing a leader who will unite us, and get on with the business of delivering for people throughout the United Kingdom."

Mr Jack had remained loyal to the prime minister despite fellow cabinet members and Conservative backbenchers calling for him to go.

'I wish him well'

At lunchtime on Thursday, Mr Johnson told the assembled media at Downing Street: "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, because I felt it was my job, my duty, my obligation to you to do what we promised in 2019."

He added: "I regret not to have been successful in those arguments. In politics, no one is remotely indispensable."

Mr Johnson said he was proud of his achievements in office citing taking the UK out of the EU, the government's response to Covid and rolling out the vaccine programme.

In his statement, Mr Jack said: "I am sad to see Boris Johnson stand down as prime minister. He has achieved a huge amount in office, including delivering Brexit, supporting the country through Covid, and leading the international response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Most importantly, he has worked tirelessly to strengthen the Union.

"Boris is a good friend, as well as the leader of my party, and I wish him well for the future."