Previously, since the 5th, dozens of British government officials, including many ministers, have resigned one after another. Analysts pointed out that for some time, Johnson has been faced with the triple crisis of the "Partygate" scandal, the electoral defeat of the ruling Cons

Xinhua News Agency, London, July 7 (Reporter Du Juan Xu Feng) British Prime Minister Boris Johnson delivered a speech in front of No. 10 Downing Street in London on the 7th, saying that he would resign as leader of the ruling Conservative Party and prime minister, but would Remain in office until a new leader emerges. Previously, since the 5th, dozens of British government officials, including many ministers, have resigned one after another.

Analysts pointed out that for some time, Johnson has been faced with the triple crisis of the "Partygate" scandal, the electoral defeat of the ruling Conservative Party, and the scandal of improper appointment, which has led to rising calls for his resignation within the

Conservative Party. A large number of government officials resigned, leaving Johnson isolated. The government could not continue and he had no choice but to resign. The Conservative Party will then start a battle for the new party leader, and it is still unclear who is more likely to take over.

Falling into isolation

When Johnson announced his resignation, he said that Conservative members of Parliament obviously wanted a new party leader and a new prime minister. This statement expresses the isolation he found himself in at this time.

The direct cause of Johnson's resignation is the resignation of a large number of government officials since the 5th. The wave of resignations was caused by Health Secretary Sajid Javid and Finance Minister Rishi Sunak. In their resignation letter, they accused Johnson of being incompetent and said they had lost confidence in him.

On September 7, 2021, British Prime Minister Johnson (middle), then Health Secretary Javid (left), and then Finance Minister Sunak attended a press conference in London. ( Xinhua News Agency , photo provided by the British Prime Minister's Office)

British media pointed out that the resignation of the Finance Minister and the Health Minister "caused a heavy blow" to the Johnson government, because these two positions are responsible for handling the most important domestic affairs in the UK, namely the cost of living. Rise and COVID-19.

In order to quickly "stop losses", Johnson later on the 5th appointed Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi to take over as Finance Minister, and Cabinet Office Minister Steve Buckley to take over as Health Secretary.

However, this reorganization failed to prevent the centrifugal tendency within the government, and a large number of government officials resigned one after another after Javid and Sunak. Important government officials including the British Home Secretary, Transport Secretary, International Trade Minister and Minister of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy have also called on Johnson to resign.

Although Johnson said on the 6th that he would not resign, the British media pointed out that even if he insisted not to resign, the government would not be able to operate effectively. In addition, Johnson barely passed a no-confidence vote by Conservative members of the House of Commons in early June and was exempted from a no-confidence vote within one year according to the party's rules. However, some Conservative members have recently actively pushed for changes to the party's rules. In order to initiate another vote of no confidence in Johnson. British media pointed out that if Johnson accepts another vote of no confidence, it is unlikely that Johnson will pass. Public opinion believes that Johnson was completely isolated within the government and the Conservative Party, so he eventually had to choose to step down.

This is a file photo of British Prime Minister Johnson taken at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium on February 10, 2022. (Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zheng Huansong)

Triple crisis

Analysts pointed out that Johnson’s current isolation is the result of the triple crisis of the “Partygate” scandal, the Conservative Party’s electoral defeat and the scandal of improper appointments.

The Prime Minister's Office and other government departments have held gatherings in violation of epidemic prevention regulations during the epidemic. Johnson has faced pressure to resign from the opposition party and the Conservative Party due to this scandal for several months. In mid-May, the London Police Department announced the conclusion of the investigation into the "Partygate" incident and issued a total of 126 tickets, involving 83 people, including Johnson and his wife Carrie. Johnson thus became the first prime minister in British history to break the law while in office.

While the impact of the "Partygate" scandal continued, the Conservative Party led by Johnson suffered defeats in local elections in May and in the House of Commons by-election in June, and calls for Johnson to step down further intensified.

html At the end of June, Christopher Pincher, a senior official appointed by Johnson, resigned after being exposed for misconduct. Pincher was subsequently exposed for more misconduct, raising questions about whether Johnson knew of his character and still entrusted him with important tasks.On the afternoon of July 5, Johnson apologized for his misconduct, but this failed to quell a new wave of calls for his resignation.

In addition, the British inflation rate has been high recently, and people are generally dissatisfied with the Johnson government's inability to respond to rising prices. This is also considered to be one of the reasons why the Conservatives are no longer willing to accept Johnson's leadership.

On July 24, 2019, British Prime Minister Johnson delivered a speech in front of the Prime Minister's Office at 10 Downing Street after taking office. (Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Han Yan)

Who can take over?

Johnson said that the process of electing a new party leader should start immediately, and the timetable will be announced next week. He has appointed a new cabinet on the 7th, and he and the new cabinet will perform their duties until the new leader is in place.

It is unclear how long it will take for a new leader of the Conservative Party to be elected. British media said this process may last weeks or even months. Johnson's predecessor, Theresa May, announced her intention to resign on May 24, 2019, and officially resigned as leader of the Conservative Party on June 7. Johnson was elected leader of the Conservative Party on July 23 of the same year and became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on the 24th. The entire process lasted two months.

Regarding Johnson’s successor, the candidates listed by the British media include Sunak, Zahavi, Javid, Foreign Secretary Elizabeth Truss, Defense Secretary Ben Wallace, and former Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt wait. British media said that it is still unclear who among these people has a clear advantage.

Analysts believe that based on the last leadership change of the Conservative Party, the emergence of a new prime minister may take a relatively long time. The performance of the above-mentioned candidates during this period will largely determine who will have the last laugh.