UK PM Resigns

Boris Johnson, British Prime Minister announced his resignation as Conservative Party leader, triggering a leadership election for a new party leader.

Johnson, 58, will remain in charge until the Conservative Party conference in October, when a new leader will be chosen.

"I want you to know how sad I am to be giving up the best job in the world," Johnson said. He blamed his party's "herd instinct" as he delivered his resignation speech on the doorstep of 10 Downing Street.

"It is clear now the will of the parliamentary Conservative Party that there should be a new leader of that party and therefore a new PM," he said.

"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 until a new leader is in place," he said.

The outgoing leader reiterated he had been given an "incredible mandate" at the 2019 general election, which was "the reason I have fought so hard in the last few days to continue to deliver that mandate in person."

"I felt it was my job, my duty, my obligation to you to continue to do what we promised in 2019," he said.