The United Kingdom is in turmoil following the resignation of controversial Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday.
THE United Kingdom is in turmoil following the resignation of controversial Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday.
Initially, he refused to go and sacked Michael Gove — a member of his top ministerial team who was one of the first to tell him he needed to resign — but by Thursday morning most of his cabinet had quit in a show of solidarity.
Standing outside No. 10 Downing Street at lunchtime, Johnson announced his resignation from the Conservative Party, stating that “no one in politics is remotely indispensable” and that he was “sad to be giving up the best job in the world”.
Johnson said he would continue to serve as prime minister until a successor is chosen in the next few weeks, but opposition parties slammed this move and said they want him gone now.
Keir Starmer, leader of the opposition Labour party said they will pass a motion of no confidence if Johnson opts to remain.
“It should have happened long ago. He was always unfit for office. He has been responsible for lies, scandal and fraud on an industrial scale.”
Meanwhile, Russian officials celebrated Johnson’s “inglorious downfall”, with Russian tycoon Oleg Deripaska calling him a “stupid clown” who got his reward for arming Ukrainian soldiers against Russia.
The turmoil comes as the UK faces an economic crisis in the wake of Covid-19, with soaring inflation, and the economy forecast to be the weakest among major nations in 2023 apart from Russia.
It also follows years of internal division sparked by Brexit in 2016.
