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24th May 2019

Boris Johnson responds to Theresa May’s resignation as prime minister

Wayne Farry

boris johnson

BoJo managed to tweet about May’s departure without including a single ‘lol’

Boris Johnson has managed to stop laughing for 20 seconds to comment on the departure of Theresa May after the Prime Minister announced on Friday that she would resign from her position on June 7.

“A very dignified statement from Theresa May. Thank you for your stoical service to our country and the Conservative Party. It is now time to follow her urgings: to come together and deliver Brexit,” he said on Twitter.

Johnson is widely expected to put his hat in the ring to replace May, and is the odds-on favourite to replace her. He has made no secret of his desire to be prime minister.

May announced her decision to step down after months of mounting pressure from her party over her handling of Brexit.

On Friday she met with Sir Graham Brady, the chair of the 1922 committee. Brady is seen as the shepherd for the parliamentary Conservative party and the arbiter of a leadership contest.

Shortly after she made a statement announcing her resignation.

She said: “I have done everything I can to convince MPs to back that deal, sadly I have not been able to do so.

“It is in the best interests of the country for a new prime minister to lead those efforts.”

It is understood that Johnson will contest the Tory leadership with Dominic Raab, Sajid Javid, Michael Gove, Jeremy Hunt and Andrea Leadsom, who resigned this week.