After a string of painful Cabinet resignations, Boris Johnson’s wife Carrie reportedly convinced him to resign as prime minister, telling him that “the game was up.”
According to a Whitehall insider, ex-Conservative party staffer Carrie Johnson had an honest talk on Wednesday night that put an end to her husband’s “state of denial.”
Mr. Johnson informed staff members he would resign on Thursday morning.
His plans were announced by Downing Street officials to the BBC’s Today show that morning, and his resignation address from No. 10 was scheduled for that afternoon at noon.
The Whitehall insider claimed that the PM went to his apartment at 11 p.m. on Wednesday to spend the night with Carrie, Wilf, 2, and Romy, a newborn.
They stated to The Sunday Mirror that “Boris then discussed his situation with Carrie, who has a sharp political mind.” They agreed to give it some more thinking when she told him she believed the game was over.
The prime minister was irate all day. sincerely in denial and adamant about sticking with it. Like a man on repeat, he kept talking about his unique mission.
By mid-afternoon, “the press team had pulled the phones off the hook,” claiming that it was unjust for anyone to have to defend him in public.
The same harsh but kind counsel was delivered to Margaret Thatcher in November 1990 by her husband Denis.
Petronella Wyatt, a journalist and Mr. Johnson’s ex-girlfriend, ferociously tweeted today that Boris will run for the Tory leadership.
That would appear to be against the 1922 Committee’s regulations.
The media was informed by Number Ten that the rumor was untrue.
Today’s Tory leadership contest saw entries from Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, newly-installed Chancellor Nadim Zahawi, and Transport Secretary Grant Shapps.
They joined the list of candidates that included former chancellor Rishi Sunak, chair of the foreign affairs committee Tom Tugendhat, attorney general Suella Braverman, and ex-leveling up secretary Kemi Badenoch.
Ben Wallace, the defense secretary, earlier declared that he would not run to be the party leader and the next prime minister after giving it “careful consideration” and speaking with his family and friends.
Former health secretary Sajid Javid and Jeremy Hunt as well as trade minister Penny Mordaunt are other front-runners.
According to Tory MP Mark Francois, at least 12 people will submit their names.
According to him, there will likely be at least a dozen competitors at this time because it appears to be the Grand National without the fences.
In The Sunday Times, Mr. Shapps announced the start of his campaign. He promised to handle the cost-of-living crisis and restructure the economy to make it the largest in Europe by 2050.
The newspaper said it is anticipated that he will launch his campaign website, as well as list his supporters, in the coming hours.
Ms Badenoch announced her bid in The Times, with a plan for a smaller state and a Government ‘focused on the essentials’.