A summary of today's developments
- On another momentous day, Boris Johnson announced his resignation but said he wants to stay on as prime minister until the Conservative Party elects a new leader despite senior figures including Lord Michael Heseltine and Sir John Major calling for him to go immediately.
- Johnson told his cabinet the government would now focus on the agenda on which it was elected, and not seek to implement new policies or make major changes of direction.
- A timetable for succession is set to be announced by the 1922 Committee of backbench MPs next week. According to polling of Conservative party members by YouGov, Ben Wallace, the defence secretary, is in the best position to succeed Johnson.
- Conservative backbencher Tom Tugendhat has become the first contender to throw his hat into the ring to succeed Boris Johnson.
- Grant Shapps has been backed by his junior minister Robert Courts on BBC’s Newsnight to become Tory leader.
- Sir Keir Starmer has warned that if Johnson does not step down immediately, Labour would table a vote of no confidence in the government in Parliament
- The hastily-assembled new team of ministers has been announced including the return of Will Quince as an education minister, having quit two days ago. Johnny Mercer MP is to be a Minister of State (Minister for Veterans’ Affairs) at the Cabinet Office while Sir Robert Buckland is the Welsh secretary.
Former education secretary Justine Greening told Newsnight she believes Johnson should stand down immediately.
“I think for the party in particular, as well as the country, this is about moving on.”
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