After a string바카라 웹사이트of scandals and controversies in his three-year term in office, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday agreed to step down from the post of the바카라 웹사이트Conservative Party leader. The move is set to end an바카라 웹사이트unprecedented political crisis and trigger an election for a Tory leader who will go on to become the new premier. Johnson, 58, will remain in charge at 10 Downing Street until the process of electing a new leader is completed by the time of the Conservative Party conference, scheduled for October. He is expected to formally announce his resignation and address the nation later on Thursday.
High drama on Downing Street
The move came after days of high drama and a steady stream of resignations from his Cabinet since Tuesday and just minutes after his newly appointed Chancellor to replace former Chancellor Rishi Sunak wrote a public letter calling for him to “go now”. Nadhim Zahawi, the Iraqi-origin minister seen as a frontrunner to replace Johnson in 10 Downing Street, wrote a damning letter that openly questioned his boss’ authority and demanded his exit. While not officially resigning from his new Cabinet post, the 55-year-old minister said the time was up for Johnson.
His demand followed over 50 resignations since Johnson라이브 바카라 apology on Tuesday, after days of changing messages from Downing Street over the hiring and handling of the now-suspended Chris Pincher, who quit as Deputy Chief Whip in charge of Tory party discipline last week after admitting drunken misconduct.
Scandals galore
Johnson's tenure as PM바카라 웹사이트was marred by his inconsistent handling of the coronavirus pandemic and a steady stream of ethics allegations, from alcohol-fueled government parties that broke lockdown rules to how he handled a sexual misconduct scandal involving a senior party lawmaker.바카라 웹사이트The resignation comes in the wake of several scandals including the latest "Partygate"바카라 웹사이트scandal involving바카라 웹사이트Covid바카라 웹사이트law-breaking parties in Downing Street, which had resulted in a no-confidence vote last month which Johnson just about survived.
A look at the political career of Boris Johnson and his biggest controversies
2012 Olympics
One of the biggest highlights of Johnson's career before becoming Prime Minister came in when he served as the Mayor of London (2008-2016), during which time he pulled off the 2012 Olympic Games that were hosted in UK.바카라 웹사이트
Brexit
In 2016, Johnson became the co-leader of the Brexit campaign to take Britain out of the European Union, in opposition to then-Prime Minister David Cameron, a fellow Conservative. Cameron resigned바카라 웹사이트after voters approved Brexit in a national referendum on June 23, 2016. Johnson eventually got elected as the head of the Conservative party and바카라 웹사이트led the Conservatives to a thumping election victory on the back of his promise to “get Brexit done.”
After a series of hiccups in the Brexit process,바카라 웹사이트Johnson won바카라 웹사이트an 80-seat majority in the general election in December 2019,바카라 웹사이트giving him the backing to push through Brexit legislation. The victory made Johnson the most electorally successful Conservative leader since Margaret Thatcher. On Jan. 23, 2020, the Brexit deal became바카라 웹사이트law after approval by UK바카라 웹사이트Parliament. European Parliament approved바카라 웹사이트the deal six days later.
The Paterson dilemma
In November 2021, Johnson라이브 바카라 government ordered바카라 웹사이트Conservative lawmakers to support a change in ethics rules to delay the suspension of Owen Paterson, a Johnson supporter who had been censured for breaching lobbying rules. The measure was passed but바카라 웹사이트Johnson reversed바카라 웹사이트course and allowed바카라 웹사이트lawmakers to vote on Paterson라이브 바카라 suspension a바카라 웹사이트day later following바카라 웹사이트angry backlash from lawmakers of all parties.바카라 웹사이트Paterson eventually resigned but the incident left question marks on Johnson's ethicality.바카라 웹사이트
Partygate
The "Partygate" scandal refers to allegations that surfaced In November 2021, soon after the Paterson debacle바카라 웹사이트regarding바카라 웹사이트government officials attending parties in government offices during November and December 2020 in violation of Covid-19 lockdown rules. More than a dozen such바카라 웹사이트parties were reported. Johnson denied바카라 웹사이트the allegations, but opposition leaders criticized the government for breaking the law at a time when people across the country made sacrifices to combat the pandemic.
In December, Johnson authorized바카라 웹사이트probe into the바카라 웹사이트Partygate scandal, and eventually바카라 웹사이트fined 50 pounds ($63) in April 2022 for attending one of the lockdown parties. Opposition parties characterize him as the first U.K. prime minister in history shown to have broken the law while in office. Johnson apologizes but insisted바카라 웹사이트he didn’t know he was breaking the rules.바카라 웹사이트Findings of the “Partygate” investigation바카라 웹사이트detailed바카라 웹사이트16 gatherings at Johnson라이브 바카라 home and office and other government offices between May 2020 and April 2021. The report noted바카라 웹사이트excessive drinking among some of Johnson라이브 바카라 staff, at a time when millions of people were unable to see friends and family.
Treasury trouble
Inflation increased 6.2 per cent바카라 웹사이트in the 12 months through February, a 30-year high, in the UK.바카라 웹사이트The spike was driven by rising prices of energy, goods and food and comes as the Bank of England has raised interest rates three times since December to try to cool off inflation.In March this year, the government announced바카라 웹사이트a mid-year spending plan that was widely바카라 웹사이트criticized for doing too little to help people struggling with the soaring cost of living. Treasury chief Rishi Sunak refused바카라 웹사이트to delay a planned income tax increase or impose a windfall profits tax on oil and gas companies benefiting from rising energy prices. In May,바카라 웹사이트the government reversed바카라 웹사이트course on its tax decision on oil and gas companies and announced바카라 웹사이트plans for a 25 per cent바카라 웹사이트windfall profits levy. The policy바카라 웹사이트fluctuations caused intense outcry among Opposition leaders as well as loss of confidence among general population.바카라 웹사이트
Pincher crisis
In June this year, Chris Pincher resigned바카라 웹사이트as the Conservative deputy chief whip after allegedly sexually assaulting two fellow guests at a private members’ club in London in a state of intoxication. Previous sexual misconduct allegations emerged against바카라 웹사이트Pincher, raising바카라 웹사이트questions on whether Johnson knew about the claims when Pincher was given the job. Earlier in바카라 웹사이트July, Johnson apologized바카라 웹사이트for his handling of the Pincher scandal and said바카라 웹사이트he had forgotten about being told of the allegations. Two of Johnson라이브 바카라 most senior Cabinet ministers, Treasury chief Rishi Sunak and Health Secretary Sajid Javid, quit the government.
Johnson's resignation will now trigger a fierce leadership battle within the Conservative Party. The 1922 Committee is responsible for setting the timetable for a Tory leadership contest. To take part in the race, a Tory MP has to be nominated by eight colleagues. If more than two MPs put themselves forward and secure enough nominations to run for leader, a series of secret ballots are held to whittle them down.
(With inputs from Associated Press, PTI)
