Boris Johnson resigns as UK Prime Minister: Top quotes from his address

NEW DELHI: Following the resignation of dozens of ministers from his scandal-plagued cabinet, Boris Johnson resigned on Thursday as the head of the British Conservative party, clearing the way for the appointment of a new prime minister.
Johnson, 58, said he will quit after receiving several resignations from his senior staff in displeasure with his leadership, but he would continue serving as prime minister until a successor is selected.
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Here are the top statements made by Boris at Downing Street about his political future after days of turmoil-
* "It is clearly the will of the parliamentary Conservative party that there should be a new leader of that party, and therefore a new prime minister," Johnson said outside 10 Downing Street.
* He said he was "sad... to be giving up the best job in the world" and justified fighting on in the final hours to deliver the mandate he won in a general election in December 2019.

* "I know that there will be many people who are relieved and perhaps quite a few who will also be disappointed. And I want you to know how sad I am to be giving up the best job in the world," Johnson said in a speech outside Downing Street. "But them's the breaks," he added.
* "The reason I have fought so hard in the last few days to continue to deliver that mandate in person was not just because I wanted to do, so but I felt it was my job, duty, obligation to you to continue to do what we promised," Johnson said.
* "As we've seen at Westminster, the herd instinct is powerful, and when the herd moves, it moves. And my friends, in politics, no one is remotely indispensable, and our brilliant and Darwinian system will produce another leader equally committed to taking this country forward."
* "I am immensely proud of my achievements, I will continue till a new leader is in place," said UK PM Boris Johnson.
* Johnson thanked the British public "for the immense privilege you have given me".