Boris Johnson is facing growing calls from senior figures in the British Conservative Party to hand over to a caretaker prime minister rather than wait for a permanent successor to be elected.
Mr Johnson said on Thursday he was resigning as Britain's prime minister, bowing to calls from ministerial colleagues and lawmakers in his party.
Constitutional experts are clear Mr Johnson is entitled to remain in office until a new party leader, who will be able to form a government, is in place.
But with the leadership election expected to take weeks or even months, some Conservatives warned it is untenable for him to carry on for so long, given the acrimonious way in which he was forced to resign.
Meanwhile, the main opposition Labour party said it will seek a vote of confidence if Mr Johnson does not go, which would mean a general election if the government is defeated.
Former British prime minister John Major said it would be “unwise and may be unsustainable” to allow Mr Johnson to stay on for a prolonged period in which he would continue to be able to wield considerable power.
“Some will argue that his new Cabinet will restrain him. I merely note that his previous Cabinet did not – or could not – do so,” he said.
In a letter to Graham Brady, the chairman of a group of backbench Conservative lawmakers, Mr Major suggested deputy prime minister Dominic Raab could be installed as acting premier until there is a new leader.
Alternatively, he said, there could be a foreshortened leadership contest, with Conservative lawmakers electing the leader who would then become prime minister – with grassroots members then asked to endorse the result.
What a depressing state of affairs. So much needless damage caused.
We now need a new Leader as soon as practicable. Someone who can rebuild trust, heal the country, and set out a new, sensible and consistent economic approach to help families (1/2)— Kwasi Kwarteng (@KwasiKwarteng) July 7, 2022
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There were signs of Mr Major’s misgivings being shared by some remaining members of the Cabinet.
Business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng – who Mr Johnson had reportedly been planning to axe in his next reshuffle – said it was a “depressing state of affairs”.
“We now need a new leader as soon as practicable. Someone who can rebuild trust, heal the country, and set out a new, sensible and consistent economic approach to help families,” he said.
At a meeting of his senior ministers on Thursday, Mr Johnson sought to reassure them he will not seek to introduce new policies and that any major decisions on tax and spending will be for the next British prime minister.
However, George Freeman, one of the last ministers to resign before Mr Johnson announced he was stepping down, warned of “chaos” if he is allowed to remain in office over the summer.
Evict TODAY or he'll cause CARNAGE, even now he's playing for time & will try to stay
No 'dignity', no 'interim while leadership contest'.
Raab shd be interim PM by evening— Dominic Cummings (@Dominic2306) July 7, 2022
“Unfortunately, it’s very difficult to see how Boris Johnson, given the character that he is, is going to be able to govern for three months in quiet humility and contrition.
“That certainly wasn’t the tone of his speech,” he told Times Radio.
“My real worry is the instability will fuel a febrile moment of midsummer madness, where we choose the wrong person in a hurry because of the instability. We can’t afford to do that.”
Former cabinet minister Andrea Leadsom, who twice stood for the leadership, urged Mr Johnson to go for the sake of his reputation.
“I absolutely do not think that it is acceptable that we have a long, drawn-out leadership campaign,” she told BBC Radio 4.
“It is my opinion that Boris would be better to go now and salvage what is a good track record in some really key major events.”
Mr Johnson’s former chief advisor Dominic Cummings tweeted: “Evict TODAY or he’ll cause CARNAGE, even now he’s playing for time & will try to stay. Raab shd be interim PM by evening.”
