eventually, mrjohnson decided the only option was a general election. "get brexit done" was the slogan at the heart of the conservative campaign — it led to a decisive victory. dozens of labour mps were beaten in areas that the party had held for decades. we did it, we did it! we pulled it off, didn't we? borisjohnson returned as prime minister and this time brexit was assured. his personal life was changing too. during his second marriage, which lasted 25 years, he'd had several affairs. he'd been sacked as a conservative spokesman for lying about one of them. in spring 2020, he and his wife marina divorced. he later married carrie symonds, who'd previously worked as a conservative party adviser and the couple had two children. for his new government, though, everything was put on hold when it was hit by the worst health

crisis in modern times. as covid spread, the nhs came under enormous pressure. in a televised address, borisjohnson announced extraordinary restrictions to daily life. from this evening, i must give the british people a very simple instruction — you must stay at home. the prime minister himself became seriously ill with covid. he was admitted to intensive care and spent three days in hospital. a key ally throughout this time was dominic cummings, his unconventional style aggravated many. sorry i'm late. and within a year of the election victory, he'd resigned after a bitter power struggle — clashing with tory mps and the prime minister's wife. he soon went on the attack, becoming mrjohnson�*s fiercest and most damaging critic. he doesn't have a plan, he doesn't know how to be prime minister and we've only got him in there because we had to solve a certain problem,

not because we thought that he was the right person to be running the country. there were electoral losses too. the safe buckinghamshire seat of chesham and amersham taken by the liberal democrats. cheers and applause mrjohnson faced an investigation over the complicated funding of a lavish flat refurbishment. and then stories started leaking about rule breaking parties inside number 10, while the rest of the country was in lockdown. after a police investigation, mrjohnson was fined for a birthday celebration in the cabinet room. i've received a fixed penalty notice from the metropolitan police relating to an event in downing street on the 19th ofjune, 2020. altogether, over 120 fines were issued to staff. a report by a senior civil servant blamed a failure of leadership and mrjohnson was accused of lying about what went on. i can announce that

the parliamentary party does have confidence. cheering conservative mps forced a vote of confidence — more than 40% of them wanted him out but he refused to go. the final straw was a chaotic response to allegations of sexual misconduct against the deputy chief whip, chris pincher. ministers were fed up with defending the indefensible. conservative mps had had enough. borisjohnson won them their biggest majority for more than 30 years, fulfilled their dream of leaving the eu, but he was never able to translate his success on the campaign trail into government. vicki young, bbc news. that was vicki running through some of the sequences of events that have led to today, a prime minister with a majority of 80 seats in the house of commons less than three years ago having to say today that he is resigning as conservative leader. being forced to resign, let's not

make any bones about that, and of course having also to set some kind of process in train to resign as prime minister when a successor is in place, that is still a debate if thatis in place, that is still a debate if that is a cause of action lots of other conservative mps is appropriate in the circumstances. appropriate for a prime minister whose integrity and integrity has been questioned repeatedly and it a big reason as to why the political world is in the state that it is in today, with this change of party leader and prime minister in the offing. 0ur correspondence nick eardley is with me again. i couldn't help noticing, as we look for the reactions of mps to the statement that you and i heard he had just a short while ago, lots of the reaction from conservative mps is, let's just say, dis— reaction from conservative mps is, let'sjust say, dis— obliging. people don't seem to be impressed with the tone, they don't seem to be

impressed with his determination to stay in that building for another few months and they questioned whether this is a wise course of action. now do you sense that that faction is bigger than the faction saying that he is doing the right thing? there will be an active debate whether boris johnson there will be an active debate whether borisjohnson will stay in post until a new conservative leader is elected, that could take until september. tory mps didn't like the language which has added to their feeling of bad blood we have seen. they want a change a lot quicker than borisjohnson does. it feels like this encapsulates what boris johnson's premiership has been like. it has been really divisive weather over brexit, his personality, some of his more controversial domestic policies. conservative mps for a while came out to bat for the prime

minister. he won elections for his party. they could put up with him because they thought he would take them into electoral victory. that changed over the past six months. partygate blew up this idea that borisjohnson was someone who was good for the conservatives. there has been a growing sense of that over the past weeks. we have reached this point where the man who two and a half years ago was a political stardust, who delivered that incredible majority for his party, has now been forced out by his own party. politics moves extremely quickly and well over the next few hours, we will be talking about who next rather than borisjohnson. indeed, and yet, we are still talking about what lies ahead for the next few months. if he is prime minister he will have the power to do things. there is a big amount of

legislation going through parliament, big decisions on the economy which is clearly facing a rocky patch still. it is not a prime minister who will do nothing. and the turn of the statement itself is something that has annoyed people. somebody saying just now, no hint of acknowledging what might have gone wrong, blaming a herd instinct among his own colleagues at westminster for his demise. not somebody who is being in any way reflective, at least not in that statement. the point is, well that statement make it more difficult for him to stay on, because there will be fewer saying it seems to be a wise course of action. the simple answer is yes. i have spoken to mps already who think exactly that. it is not a uniform view. some are so bruised by the last few days that they just want to

go away and sit in a dark room for a while and let this process play out over the next weeks and months, and allow the party to move on without any more blood—letting. borisjohnson is no in longer control. he still lives behind that door but he does not control his party. he has a cobbled together cabinet not the people he wanted to be in those big jobs that govern important parts of our lives like education, like wales, northern ireland, levelling up, jobs that really matter. he has had to find who will take them rather than who he wanted. the next few hours could still be rocky for the prime minister. we now know he is on his way out soon. and attention will change to the next prime minister. nick eardley, our correspondent. let us go to the green outside

parliament and richard thompson who is the green party shadow finance spokesman. we heard from nicola sturgeon earlier talking about the chaos she called it in downing street and westminster. but that ultimately the conservative party's attitude to scotland and the ambitions of the scottish government for independence and a new referendum, that she said would not change. is that true, regardless of the range of characters who could be in line to succeed borisjohnson? do you expect the party's approach to scotland to be the same whoever gets it? i think we have to remember whoever replaces borisjohnson as conservative prime minister will still be a conservative with the same instincts, and will still be of the conservative party that was happy until the last 2a hours to see borisjohnson in office. i don't

expect a significant change in attitude from the conservatives. that one change in attitude i hope there might be would be a chance to reset relationships and look afresh at the request from nicola sturgeon for a section 30 order, to establish a mutually agreed way forward between edinburgh and london on holding a lawful independence referendum. but in terms of their desire to put the question again in scotland that we had in 2014, that remains unchanged. it is a case where the merits stand as to who occupies downing street. what are your thoughts on the plans of the prime minister to stay in power until probably the first week of october and party conference season, until there is a new conservative leader in place. so,

resigning as conservative leader but hanging on as prime minister until then because, he says, it is all about the functioning of government, continuity. what is the snp�*s approach? the premise —— has been dragged kicking and screaming towards acknowledging at least some of the political reality of the situation he faces, he not only lost the back benches but the confidence of the ministers. i don't think this is tenable. there are major issues facing the uk as a whole, and the constituent parts of it. the idea the prime minister is able to provide stability and continuity that might be needed now is utterly laughable. he is not in any position and no longer has any mandate to take the big policy changes that are needed to get through the cost of

living crisis for example, or to tackle the security challenges that we face in europe. i think quite frankly the removal van should be in downing street no later than this evening. they should be making arrangements to be put in place so somebody else can take over, who is able to restore some semblance of stability and continuity in government. it is certain in my mind the person to do that is not boris johnson. no sign of removal vans, richard. i am here with nick eardley. boris johnson does not intend to move out quite yet. 0ne johnson does not intend to move out quite yet. one more point if i made, on policy again, when the scottish government is dealing with such big policy issues, including the exchange of views on a possible referendum, there was a formal response to the other day, that did not come as a surprise. how does it

change the dynamics of how the scottish government talks to the uk government, westminster, at a time like this? does it function as usual with officials? 0r like this? does it function as usual with officials? or does this kind of process of turbulent politics affect all kinds of contacts and decision making? i think it will affect an awful lot or what goes on behind the scenes. the scottish government gets on with the dayjob irrespective. in terms of those areas of overlap, it is inevitable that will be more difficult. ministers have changed, they will be getting to grips with departments, there is no certainty how long any of these newly appointed ministers will be in place, they could be plaice fillets. in that atmosphere behind behind—the—scenes chaos, it becomes very difficult to get the kind of smooth relations ordinarily for day—to—day matters you might wish, across a range of things, whether it is internal relationships between

the various governments of these islands, whether it is dealing with some of the issues we have been left with around the northern ireland bill, the course charted by the uk government on that. it was already a chaotic situation and it throws it up chaotic situation and it throws it up in the air again. that is the least worst outcome we could have from today. we have got a good outcome in terms of borisjohnson realising it is up, but then for somebody to be asked to put together an interim government which would allow the conservatives to get on with the job of picking who they intend to install as our prime minister to lead them up to the election. richard, good to talk to you, thank you. richard thompson from the scottish national party. i was telling you we had the statement from boris johnson, that followed quite a few announcements from number 10 which

had been drip fed through the morning on a new ministerial appointments. as i was explaining, we have had probably announcements on 50 people leaving the government in different capacities over the last few days. if you in cabinet with sajid javid and rishi sunak, the sacking of michael gove by boris johnson late last night. let us start with some of these appointments that have been made today. james claire who was an old ally of the prime minister from his days as the mayor of london, james claire league was there at county hall, city hall. he is now the new education secretary, replacing two people, nadhim zahawi, and of course his successor who had spentjust two daysin his successor who had spentjust two days in post. james claire in as education secretary.

greg clark, he is the new levelling up greg clark, he is the new levelling up secretary who is replacing michael gove, who was sacked. anotherjohnson ally from the old days as the mayor of london, kit malthouse, the most senior minister in the cabinet office. that is a bit of a mover and shakerjob, someone who operates behind—the—scenes and does so in a way which kind of draws together lots of whitehall departments. it's a very influential post. then we have shailesh vara secretary of state for northern ireland. some of the key appointments there. we are told mr johnson has completed the appointments of a full replacement cabinet, so we will update you when we get the other names. those are the main changes for you. let's bring in nick eardley again. what are the series of appointments

telling us? they feature some key johnson loyalists, which is not exactly a surprise. but is this a cabinet which has the makings of being able to last two or three months or what do you make of it? i think it's going to struggle. i think it's going to struggle. i think parts of it are members of the conservative party who have been out to bat for the prime minister in the past and people that would come in front of the cameras and say they are sticking by the pm. it isn't the cabinet borisjohnson would wanted to put together but the one he has been forced to have put together because so many people left. three education secretaries this week alone, that is unprecedented in british politics. but remember, there are 20 plus junior ministerial jobs as well. part of i think the calculation that was made a number 10 is borisjohnson had not been forced out, if he hadn't decided it was time to go, then he would have struggled to fill those jobs, never mind the ministerial aides further

down the ladder that also need to be filled. so it is not borisjohnson�*s dream team but the team boris johnson could cobble together to get himself over the line today. still all those junior ministerialjobs to go as well. all those junior ministerial “obs to no as well. . ~ all those junior ministerial 'obs to go as wen.— go as well. 0k, nick, thank you aaain. go as well. 0k, nick, thank you again- we _ go as well. 0k, nick, thank you again- we can _ go as well. 0k, nick, thank you again. we can bring _ go as well. 0k, nick, thank you again. we can bring an - go as well. 0k, nick, thank you - again. we can bring an conservative mp and ministerfor london, paul scully. i am mp and ministerfor london, paul scully. iam not mp and ministerfor london, paul scully. i am not being facetious, you are still in the job, yes? scully. i am not being facetious, you are still in thejob, yes? i scully. i am not being facetious, you are still in the job, yes? you are still in the “ob, yes? i am, i am. i took_ you are still in the “ob, yes? i am, i am. i took the — you are still in the job, yes? i am, i am. i took the decision _ you are still in the job, yes? i am, i am. i took the decision that - you are still in the job, yes? i am, i am. i took the decision that we l i am. i took the decision that we need _ i am. i took the decision that we need continuity. we've been talking about_ need continuity. we've been talking about continuity and in my role as minister_ about continuity and in my role as minister for— about continuity and in my role as minister for london, where the minister— minister for london, where the minister for london, where the minister for business, especially doing _ minister for business, especially doing things like tackling the injustice that so many postmasters have faced, i have 2000 people that are looking — have faced, i have 2000 people that are looking to government for compensation and forjustice. that's what i've _ compensation and forjustice. that's what i've been trying to concentrate on whilst _ what i've been trying to concentrate on whilst everything else is being unpacked — on whilst everything else is being un acked. ., , on whilst everything else is being un acked. . , , ., ., unpacked. ok, that is understood. i am 'ust unpacked. ok, that is understood. i am just wondering _ unpacked. ok, that is understood. i am just wondering at _ unpacked. ok, that is understood. i am just wondering at this _ unpacked. ok, that is understood. i am just wondering at this point - unpacked. ok, that is understood. i| am just wondering at this point what you make of the announcement that the prime minister made earlier, the

statement? first of all the fact he has decided to stand down and then secondly that he thinks it's the right thing to stay on until a successor has been appointed? some of your colleagues are not comfortable with that. what is your message to viewers today? it’s message to viewers today? it's absolutely _ message to viewers today? it's absolutely right that he steps down. i was surprised it wasn't yesterday that it's _ i was surprised it wasn't yesterday that it's absolutely right he has taken _ that it's absolutely right he has taken that decision today to step down _ taken that decision today to step down and — taken that decision today to step down and start the leadership competition. i'm slightly more pragmatic than some of my colleagues. i totally understand why they would want a clean break today but in _ they would want a clean break today but in reality, he has the cabinet he is _ but in reality, he has the cabinet he is building around him now for the next — he is building around him now for the next few weeks. i think they will carry— the next few weeks. i think they will carry on the programme of tackling — will carry on the programme of tackling the issue is day—to—day, the cost — tackling the issue is day—to—day, the cost of — tackling the issue is day—to—day, the cost of living crisis and the invasion— the cost of living crisis and the invasion of— the cost of living crisis and the invasion of ukraine. august tends to be a quiet _ invasion of ukraine. august tends to be a quiet month politically but clearly — be a quiet month politically but clearly there is a lot of work for us to— clearly there is a lot of work for us to do— clearly there is a lot of work for us to do economically in government

as well _ us to do economically in government as well i— us to do economically in government as well. ., , us to do economically in government as well. . , ., ., , ., as well. i am 'ust wondering how you think lots of— as well. i am just wondering how you think lots of that _ as well. i am just wondering how you think lots of that work _ as well. i am just wondering how you think lots of that work will _ as well. i am just wondering how you think lots of that work will be - think lots of that work will be achieved under a prime minister who is clearly very damaged and lost the confidence and most of his colleagues. lots of voters seem to be saying the same thing, it's a question about performance, really, an ability to do the job given what we now know and given that we now know he is leaving. how confident really argue that government can be efficient in the meantime?— efficient in the meantime? look, there is no _ efficient in the meantime? look, there is no plan _ efficient in the meantime? look, there is no plan b. _ efficient in the meantime? look, there is no plan b. what - efficient in the meantime? look, there is no plan b. what we - efficient in the meantime? look, there is no plan b. what we now| efficient in the meantime? look, - there is no plan b. what we now need to do— there is no plan b. what we now need to do is— there is no plan b. what we now need to do is deliver for the people that have put— to do is deliver for the people that have put us— to do is deliver for the people that have put us here in the first place. we have _ have put us here in the first place. we have to — have put us here in the first place. we have to pull together for the good _ we have to pull together for the good of — we have to pull together for the good of the country. we are here to serve _ good of the country. we are here to serve the _ good of the country. we are here to serve the country and people will judge _ serve the country and people will judge us— serve the country and people will judge us about what we deliver, not 'ust judge us about what we deliver, not just what— judge us about what we deliver, not just what we say or sometimes the psychodrama around westminster and whitehall _ psychodrama around westminster and whitehall. so this is the challenge that we _ whitehall. so this is the challenge that we have and every cabinet ntinister— that we have and every cabinet minister and the prime minister, whilst _ minister and the prime minister, whilst he — minister and the prime minister, whilst he is overseeing that process, _ whilst he is overseeing that process, will have to make sure they are listening — process, will have to make sure they are listening carefully, they are not saying things that cannot be

unsaid, — not saying things that cannot be unsaid, as — not saying things that cannot be unsaid, as we pulled together as a party— unsaid, as we pulled together as a party and — unsaid, as we pulled together as a party and indeed as a government and deliver— party and indeed as a government and deliver for— party and indeed as a government and deliver for everybody up and down the uk _ deliver for everybody up and down the uk. ., ,., ., �*, ., the uk. final point, and it's one lots of mps _ the uk. final point, and it's one lots of mps were _ the uk. final point, and it's one lots of mps were asked - the uk. final point, and it's one i lots of mps were asked yesterday the uk. final point, and it's one - lots of mps were asked yesterday and today, given what has happened and what has emerged about the prime minister and some of the decisions he has made, do you now regret the fact that you have supported him in the past? fact that you have supported him in the ast? ., ~' fact that you have supported him in the ast? ., ,, ., the past? no, i think we are where we are. the past? no, i think we are where we are- the _ the past? no, i think we are where we are. the prime _ the past? no, i think we are where we are. the prime minister - the past? no, i think we are where we are. the prime minister is - the past? no, i think we are where we are. the prime minister is a - we are. the prime minister is a brazen— we are. the prime minister is a brazen character, so that's why he's been _ brazen character, so that's why he's been able _ brazen character, so that's why he's been able to— brazen character, so that's why he's been able to unlock some of the really— been able to unlock some of the really big — been able to unlock some of the really big issues. but it was clear as things — really big issues. but it was clear as things were unravelling, especially over the last few days, that it _ especially over the last few days, that it was — especially over the last few days, that it was absolutely time for him to go _ that it was absolutely time for him to go. clearly some of the stuff we have heard — to go. clearly some of the stuff we have heard when he was changing number— have heard when he was changing number 10 that hadn't quite worked in what _ number 10 that hadn't quite worked in what we — number 10 that hadn't quite worked in what we heard about mixed messages coming out of number 10 about— messages coming out of number 10 about the _ messages coming out of number 10 about the response from the chris pincher— about the response from the chris pincher event last thursday. so he has taken — pincher event last thursday. so he has taken the right decision, i'm glad _ has taken the right decision, i'm glad it— has taken the right decision, i'm glad it happened and now we have to find a _

glad it happened and now we have to find a way— glad it happened and now we have to find a way of pulling together and moving _ find a way of pulling together and moving on, for the sake of the countrv — moving on, for the sake of the count . ., moving on, for the sake of the count . . ., ., ., moving on, for the sake of the count . . ., ., ,, ., country. paul, good to talk to you, thank ou country. paul, good to talk to you, thank you very _ country. paul, good to talk to you, thank you very much _ country. paul, good to talk to you, thank you very much for _ country. paul, good to talk to you, thank you very much forjoining - country. paul, good to talk to you, | thank you very much forjoining us. paul scully, the conservative mp and still the minister for london and explaining why he has remained in the post when so many others haven't. so it's been a rather momentous day so far in downing street. we have had borisjohnson confirming that he is standing down as leader of the conservative party. but not yet as prime minister because he wants to stay on as prime ministerfor a few months because he wants to stay on as prime minister for a few months while a new leader is elected. and as we now know, that is a matter of some debate, heated debate, and some controversy. now we had the statement from the prime minister here in downing street about an hour and a half ago and that was a statement in which he made plain that it was because of a herd instinct, as he put it, among conservative mps that he was being forced from office. the tone and the content again split and divided

opinions. content again split and divided oinions. �* , content again split and divided oinions. v , content again split and divided oinions. �*, , ., opinions. let's listen to it. it is clearly _ opinions. let's listen to it. it is clearly now— opinions. let's listen to it. it is clearly now the - opinions. let's listen to it. it is clearly now the will. opinions. let's listen to it. it is clearly now the will of| opinions. let's listen to it. - it is clearly now the will of the parliamentary conservative party that there should be a new leader of that there should be a new leader of that party and therefore a new prime minister, and i have agreed with sir graham brady, the chairman of our backbench mps, that the process of choosing that new leader should begin now and the timetable will be announced next week and i have today appointed a cabinet to serve, as i will, untila appointed a cabinet to serve, as i will, until a new leader is in place. so i want to say to the millions of people who voted for us in 2019, many of them voting conservative for the first time, thank you for that incredible mandate. the biggest conservative majority since 1987. the biggest share of the vote since 1979. and the reason i have fought so hard in the reason i have fought so hard in the last few days to continue to deliver that mandate in person was notjust because i wanted to do so,

but because i felt it was myjob, my duty, my obligation to you to continue to do what we promised in 2019. and, of course, i'm immensely proud of the achievements of this government, from getting brexit done to settling our relations with the continent for over half a century, reclaiming the power for this country to make its own laws in parliament. getting us all through the pandemic, delivering the fastest vaccine roll out in europe, the fastest exit from lockdown and in the last few months, leading the west in standing up to putin's aggression in ukraine. let me say now to the people of ukraine that i know that we in the uk will continue to back your fight for freedom for as long as it takes. and at the same time, in this country, we have been pushing forward a vast programme of

investment in infrastructure and skills and technology, the biggest in a century, because if i have one insight into human beings it's that genius, talent, enthusiasm and imagination are evenly distributed throughout the population, but opportunity is not. that is why we must keep that up, keep unleashing the potential in every part of the united kingdom. and if we can do that in this country, we will be the most prosperous in europe. in the last few days, i've tried to persuade my colleagues that it would be eccentric to change governments when we are delivering so much and when we are delivering so much and when we are delivering so much and when we had such a vast mandate and when we had such a vast mandate and when we had such a vast mandate and when we are actually only a handful of points behind in the polls. even in midterm, after quite a few months of pretty relentless sledging and when the economic scene is so difficult domestically and internationally. i regret not to have been successful in those

arguments and, of course, it's painful not to be able to see through so many ideas and projects myself. but as we had seen at westminster, the herd instinct is powerful. when the herd moves, it moves. and my friends in politics, no one is remotely indispensable and our brilliant and darwinian system will produce another leader equally committed to taking this country forward through tough times. not just helping families to get through it, but changing and improving the way we do things. cutting burdens on businesses and families and, yes, cutting taxes, because that is the way to generate the growth and the income we need to pay for great public services. and to that new leader i say, whoever he or she may be, i will give you as much support as i can. and to you, the british public, i know that there will be

many people who are relieved and perhaps quite a few who will also be disappointed and i want you to know how sad i am to be giving up the bestjob in the world. but them's the breaks. i want to thank carrie, my children and all the members of my children and all the members of my family who have had to put up with so much for so long. i want to thank the peerless british service for all the help and support you have given our pleas, our emergency services and of course our fantastic nhs, who at a critical moment help to extend my own period in office. as well as our armed services and our agencies that are so admired around the world and our conservative party members and supporters, whose selfless campaigning makes our democracy possible. i want to thank the wonderful staff here at chequers, at number 10 and that chequers and our

fantastic prop force detectives, the one group, by the way, who never leave. above all, i want to thank you, the british public, for the immense privilege that you have given me. and i want you to know that from now on until the new prime minister is in place, your interests will be served and the government of the country will be carried on. being prime minister is an education in itself. i've travelled to every part of the united kingdom and in addition to the beauty of our natural world, addition to the beauty of our naturalworld, i've addition to the beauty of our natural world, i've found so many people possessed of such boundless british originality and so willing to tackle old problems in new ways that i know that even if things can sometimes seem dark now, our future

together is golden. thank you all are very much. thank you. prime minister borisjohnson trying to strike a positive note at the end of that statement, when in fact he was announcing the end of his party leadership at the end of his time as prime minister in a few months�* time. but of course the precise timescale for mrjohnson�*s departure from downing street is still a matter of debate today. there is still a debate as well about the nature of the statement and whether he does in fact acknowledge the reasons why so many of his colleagues have deserted him in recent days. but he is still intending to govern, albeit within a more constrained way over the next few weeks and months. to those of you watching on bbc one, i�*m going to wish you were very good afternoon. we will see you later in the day. to those of you watching on the day. to those of you watching on the bbc news channel and on bbc

world, our coverage will continue here on this political drama, but from all of us here, it�*s goodbye.