Boris Johnson resigns: Lectern appears outside Number 10 as PM poised to step down

Prime minister will stay on in caretaker role until new Tory leader appointed in autumn

A lectern has appeared outside Number 10 as Boris Johnson is poised to step down as prime minister (Phil Noble/Reuters)

A lectern has appeared outside Number 10 as Boris Johnson is poised to step down as prime minister following an onslaught of resignations in protest over his leadership.

Mr Johnson said it was “clearly the will of the parliamentary Conservative Party that there should be a new leader’’ as he stepped up to the lectern to announce his resignation at 12.30pm on Thursday.

He will remain as prime minister until a successor is in place, expected to be by the time of the Conservative Party conference in October.

A No 10 source said Mr Johnson had spoken to Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the Conservative 1922 Committee, to inform him of his decision.

More than 50 Tory MPs have quit their government jobs after it emerged Mr Johnson promoted Tory MP Chris Pincher despite knowledge of misconduct claims against him.

The timetable for the Tory leadership contest will be agreed between the 1922 Committee, which runs the parliamentary proceedings to whittle the candidates down to two, and Conservative headquarters.

Mr Johnson will be staying on as caretaker prime minister – someone who temporarily runs the government until a new leader is appointed.

However his critics have suggested he should not be allowed to remain in office until the autumn and that someone else should step into the caretaker role.