Boris Johnson has resigned as UK Conservative Party leader after months of ethics scandals and a party revolt. But he remains Britain's prime minister — for now — while a successor is chosen.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said while she wouldn't comment on the domestic political affairs of another country, Kiwis should be reassured New Zealand "has an exceptionally strong relationship with the United Kingdom".
"Over the course of our time in office, we've worked incredibly well with both Theresa May, and then Boris Johnson, securing an incredibly important Free Trade agreement with the UK. I fully expect this cooperation to continue."
Here's a look at what will happen next:
WHY IS BORIS JOHNSON RESIGNING?
Johnson's resignation comes after he weathered numerous scandals during a tumultuous three years in power in which he brazenly bent and sometimes broke the rules of British politics.
He survived a no-confidence vote last month. But recent revelations that Johnson knew about sexual misconduct allegations against a lawmaker before he promoted the man to a senior position in his government led to Johnson's resignation.
SO IS JOHNSON STILL PRIME MINISTER?
Yes, for now.
His resignation, which came after dozens of ministers quit his government in protest, sparks a party contest to replace him as leader. All Conservative lawmakers are eligible to run, and party officials could open the nominations within hours.
Just so we're clear: Sunak, Javid and all the other Tory MPs abandoning Boris Johnson aren't acting from "principle" or "honour".
— Zarah Sultana MP (@zarahsultana) July 5, 2022
They've known what he's like from the beginning.
They're abandoning him because they now think his leadership threatens their interests. That's it.
After candidates have come forward, Conservative lawmakers vote in a series of elimination rounds. The candidate with the lowest number of votes drops out, and voting continues until there are two contenders left. Depending on the number of candidates, the process could be completed within days.
The final two candidates will be put to a vote of the full party membership across the country — about 180,000 people — by postal ballot. That process is expected to take several weeks, with the exact timetable up to the 1922 Committee that runs party elections.
The winner of the vote will become both Conservative leader and prime minister, without the need for a national election.
WHO COULD BECOME THE NEXT PRIME MINISTER?
Already the list of likely contenders is long and growing, from recently resigned Treasury chief Rishi Sunak, his successor in that job Nadhim Zahawi, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, Attorney General Suella Braverman and Defense Secretary Ben Wallace.
WHILE A NEW LEADER IS BEING CHOSEN, WILL BORIS JOHNSON REMAIN PRIME MINISTER?
Johnson has resigned as party leader, but he is still prime minister until his successor is elected.
His predecessor, Theresa May, remained in office for more than a month between announcing her resignation and the selection of Johnson as the new Tory leader.
But many Conservatives say Johnson can't stay in office — he has simply lost too many ministers through resignations to be able to govern. They are demanding he step down as prime minister and let an interim leader take the reins. If he does that, Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab is a likely caretaker candidate.
WHAT'S THE LIKELIHOOD OF JOHNSON LEAVING BEFORE A NEW PARTY LEADER IS PICKED?
Johnson shows no signs of going early.
He appointed several new Cabinet ministers on Thursday to replace those he has lost, and said they would "serve as I will until a new leader is in place."
If party officials press Johnson to quit sooner and he refuses, the chaos engulfing the government could worsen in the short term. Already the government has had to cancel business in Parliament because it has no ministers available to attend.
BREAKING: Sir John Major has written to Sir Graham Brady
— Henry Zeffman (@hzeffman) July 7, 2022
"For the overall wellbeing of the country, Mr Johnson should not remain in Downing Street"
He says either Dominic Raab should become PM or Conservatives should remove the members' stage of the leadership ballot pic.twitter.com/3COyfvjsPz
Gavin Barwell, who served as chief of staff to Prime Minister Theresa May, said "there was a "question whether the PM will be able to lead a caretaker government in the meantime - will enough ministers agree to serve?"
Former Conservative Prime Minister John Major said letting Johnson stay in office for up to three months "is unwise, and may be unsustainable."
WHEN IS BRITAIN'S NEXT NATIONAL ELECTION?
Under Britain's political rules, the next election must be called by December 2024, with election day five weeks later.
But it could come sooner. Prime ministers with a majority in parliament can call snap elections at will, and Johnson's successor may want to seek a personal mandate by going to voters not long after being selected.
However, with the backdrop of war in Ukraine and a worsening cost-of-living crisis, they may choose to wait.
Boris Johnson was 'manifestly unfit' to become Prime Minister, said Nicola Sturgeon. https://t.co/d4CZNzfK8y pic.twitter.com/w9OfE7MCXX
— STV News (@STVNews) July 7, 2022
Whoever takes over from Johnson will try to rebuild the Conservative Party's popularity. Johnson led the party to a big parliamentary majority in December 2019, but months of scandal have tarnished both him and the party. Polls suggest that if an election were held now the Conservatives would lose and the opposition Labour Party would form the new government.
Some reaction from the UK and around the world after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he would step down immediately as Conservative Party leader but remain as prime minister until the party chooses his successor:
"The proposal for the prime minister to remain in office – for up to three months – having lost the support of his Cabinet, his government and his parliamentary party is unwise, and may be unsustainable." — John Major, former Conservative UK prime minister.
"I'm not sure that anybody can look at Boris Johnson and conclude that he is capable of genuinely behaving as a caretaker prime minister. He will want to do things, and in the process of that undoubtedly cause more chaos than he has already." — Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.
"Evict today or he'll cause carnage, even now he's playing for time and will try to stay." — Dominic Cummings, Johnson's former advisor, writing on on Twitter.
"He needs to go completely. He's inflicted lies, fraud and chaos in the country ... It's obvious he's unfit to be prime minister. That's been blindingly obvious for a very, very long time." — Keir Starmer, leader of the opposition Labour Party.
"The departure of Boris Johnson opens a new page in relations with the UK. May it be more constructive, more respectful of commitments made, in particular regarding peace & stability in Northern Ireland, and more friendly with partners in the EU." — A tweet by Michel Barnier, the European Union's former Brexit negotiator.
"We all heard this news with sadness. Not only me, but also the entire Ukrainian society, which is very sympathetic to you (Johnson). My entire office and all Ukrainians are grateful to you for your help." — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
"Finally. End of an undignified spectacle. Boris Johnson was all about maintaining power and his own ego ... Now, British theatrical thunder should end." — German politician Bernd Lange, co-chair of the EU-UK contact group at the European Parliament, writing on Twitter.
"It's obvious to everyone that liberal regimes are in a deep political, ideological and economic crisis. The situation of Britain's half-decay causes concern. The loss of control, chaos, nosedive, that's how it's described by experts." — Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.
"As for Mr Johnson, he dislikes us very much. We dislike him, too." — Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
Boris is resigning. Fingers crossed he's not lying this time.
— BrewDog (@BrewDog) July 7, 2022
A hazy IPA - because we couldn't make it transparent.
Pre-order/celebrate: https://t.co/e7LaEaI0ED pic.twitter.com/QzC8ZHzyri
"As the nation celebrates prime minister Boris Johnson's resignation, BrewDog has provided beer fans with a new drink to stock up on for 'work events' and exit parties. Boris Lie-PA is a hazy IPA, which in keeping with its namesake, lacks transparency." — Scottish brewery and pub chain marketing promotion of a commemorative beer.
"We attach importance to negotiations that are going on with the UK on a trade deal. There is some degree of optimism that this could be done soon. ... Whether a change of the prime minister or leadership in the UK would impact that would be in the speculation zone." — Arindam Bagchi, spokesperson for India's External Affairs Ministry.
- AP
Twenty-seven locations in Kyiv were hit, including residential buildings.