Boris Johnson will resign as Conservative leader today – he will continue as Prime Minister until the autumn.
A Conservative leadership race will take place this summer and a new Prime Minister will be in place in time for the Tory party conference in October.
Johnson will publicly announce his resignation later today.
A No 10 spokesman said: “The prime minister will make a statement to the country today.”
Mr Johnson spoke to Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the Conservative 1922 Committee, to inform him of his decision, a No 10 source says.
“The Prime Minister has spoken to Graham Brady and agreed to stand down in time for a new leader to be in place by the conference in October,” the source added.
Conservative MP Robert Buckland says “the views of colleagues” will have pushed Boris Johnson to resign today, adding “he has bowed to the inevitable”.
He says Johnson managed to “break the logjam on Brexit”.
But he says he now hopes the Conservative Party can “get back to values” such as “freedom under the law”.
Source: BBC News
