Boris Johnson news: New PM labelled ‘racist liar’ amid criticism at home, while Trump offers congratulations from US
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Your support makes all the difference.Boris Johnson has been confirmed as the next prime minister as the result of the Tory leadership contest is announced.
Anne Milton, an education minister, resigned minutes before the announcement, saying she had “grave concerns” over Mr Johnson’s threats of a no-deal Brexit.
Other ministers are expected to follow suit before the new prime minister takes over from Theresa May tomorrow.
The new Tory leader used his victory speech to promise he will “energise the country” and meet the 31 October Brexit deadline with a “new spirit of can-do”.
Mr Johnson secured more than two-thirds of the votes in the contest, comfortably defeating Jeremy Hunt, the foreign secretary..
In an apparent acknowledgement of his divisive style, Mr Johnson said: “I know that there will be people around the place who will question the wisdom of your decision.
“And there may even be some people here who still wonder quite what they have done.
“I would just point out to you of course nobody, no one party, no one person has a monopoly of wisdom. But if you look at the history of the last 200 years of this party’s existence you will see that it is we Conservatives who have had the best insights, I think, into human nature.”
Elsewhere, Labour’s ruling executive is due to meet for what will inevitably be a heated discussion on the party’s response to antisemitism.
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NEW: EU shoots down Boris Johnson's Brexit plan within moments of him becoming Tory leader
Boris Johnson won 66 per cent of the vote - a comprehensive victory by any measure.
However, it is less than the 68 per cent that his old rival David Cameron received during the last full Tory leadership contest, when he beat David Davis in 2005.
Mr Johnson did, though, beat Iain Duncan Smith, who received 61 per cent of the vote when he saw off Ken Clarke in the 2001 contest.
You can expect Boris Johnson's election to trigger fresh calls for Scottish independence. Green Party MSP Patrick Harvie has already said the result means it has "never been more important that Scotland retakes our place as an independent European nation".
Here's the moment the result of the Tory leadership contest was announced, and Boris Johnson became Conservative Party leader...
The new leader began his victory speech by thanking Jeremy Hunt and Theresa May...
Donald Trump responds to today's news. He has previously expressed his support for Boris Johnson.
At Theresa May's final cabinet meeting, the outgoing prime minister led a discussion on the NHS, which has been the government's number one spending priority, her spokesman said.
He said: "The PM said the government would be spending an additional £33.9bn a year on the NHS by 2023/4.
Cabinet also received an update on domestic priorities, with Ms May insisting the government "could be proud of the progress made, particularly tackling burning injustices, such as access to mental health treatment".
The spokesman added:
"The economy has continued to recover, employment is historically high levels and house building is at its highest level in all but one year of the last three decades.
"The PM thanked the cabinet for all they have done during her premiership which she said has done much to improve people's lives."
David Lidington, her deputy, then thanked Ms May for her work and dedication on behalf of the cabinet, and she was presented with a Liberty handbag and necklace as a departing gift. The presents are reported to have been organised by Michael Gove, the environment secretary.
Theresa May calls for Conservative Party unity in response to Boris Johnson's election as leader...
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