Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

‘Boasting, blathering and blaming’: Piers Morgan roasts Boris Johnson’s resignation speech

Johnson announced his resignation Thursday

Tom Murray
Thursday 07 July 2022 15:34 BST
Comments
Boris Johnson resigns as prime minister

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Piers Morgan laid into Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s resignation speech on Thursday (7 June).

Johnson announced he would be leaving the role once a successor was elected in autumn following mass resignations from the ministerial ranks and a cabinet revolt.

Johnson made it clear in his speech that it was not his desire to step down from the role, but acknowledged it was “clearly the will of the parliamentary Conservative party that there should be a new leader”.

Following the speech, Morgan wrote on Twitter: “Boris Johnson quits as he led – boasting, blathering & blaming everyone but himself. What a terrible final speech by a man who turned out to be a truly terrible Prime Minister.”

In a follow-up tweet, the TalkTV presenter added: “Boris Johnson cannot possibly be allowed to linger on like the lamest of lame duck Prime Ministers, especially when most of his own ministers have expressed no confidence in him. We have a pandemic, war & financial crisis to handle, we need real leadership not this farce.”

Indeed, Johnson is likely to face intense pressure to leave office with immediate effect, making way for a caretaker leader such as Dominic Raab, the deputy prime minister.

Boris Johnson and Piers Morgan
Boris Johnson and Piers Morgan (Getty Images)

One former minister told The Guardian: “He needs to be gone by tonight. Raab should take over.”

“He needs to hand in the seals of office today and go, so we can have a caretaker PM,” said another.

Once Johnson officially announces his resignation, the timetable for a contest is agreed by the 1922 Committee and Tory Party HQ, with a new Tory leader expected to be in place by the party conference in October.

Morgan is just one of a number of celebrities who expressed joy in the prime minister’s resignation.

Read Johnson’s resignation speech in full here.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in