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Thursday evening UK news briefing: Boris Johnson resigns - and Sir John Major tells him he must go now

Your evening briefing from The Telegraph
Your evening briefing from The Telegraph

Even as he announced his resignation, Boris Johnson retained his defiant nonchalance.

"Them's the breaks," he said outside No 10, as he blamed the "herd" mentality of his MPs for ousting him, having pleaded with his Cabinet that removing him would be "eccentric". Watch his speech in full here.

He said it was "painful" not to see through the projects he had started - yet even at the moment of his humbling, more humiliation may lie ahead.

Former Tory prime minister Sir John Major has warned it would be "unwise" for the premier to remain in No 10 as a caretaker, saying Mr Johnson must leave office now "for the wellbeing of the country".

The Prime Minister said he will remain in Downing Street until a new Tory leader is chosen, which could take months.

Sir Keir Starmer said he will bring a vote of no confidence in Parliament unless the Prime Minister leaves office immediately.

Janet Daley outlines why he must go now, not later, while Camilla Tominey suggests that with the big dog out the way, the Tories may throw a bone to Dominic Raab.

According to those who talked to him in the early hours, Mr Johnson awoke this morning in a moment of clarity, with a marked change in how he viewed his dire political situation after a night's rest.

By 6am, he was working on his resignation speech. Ben Riley-Smith has the inside story on how Mr Johnson went from defiance to resignation in 24 hours.

Perhaps he was moved by his own thoughts from 2010, when he wrote this piece for the Telegraph after Gordon Brown lost the General Election.

Already high-profile figures smell the chance to undo his work in office.

Lord Michael Heseltine has said that "if Boris goes, Brexit goes", as he urges the next Tory leader to renew ties with Brussels.

Wallace the favourite

Ben Wallace has emerged as the front-runner to become the next Prime Minister, according to a YouGov poll of Tory members.

The survey found that he is the favourite in head-to-head match-ups against other leadership rivals.

So far only Dominic Raab and Michael Gove have ruled themselves out of the race. Here are the potential candidates.

The Prime Minister hopes to stay on as caretaker until October but Tory MPs are plotting to replace him by the end of next week by side-stepping party members.

Although the Prime Minister has announced his resignation, a timetable is still to be agreed with Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of the 1922 committee.

Here is your guide to how the Tories choose a new leader.

Until that time, Mr Johnson has appointed a clutch of new ministers to fill the gaping holes in his Cabinet despite having already announced his intention to step down. Here are his new ministers.

Gravity-defying rule breaker

Even now Mr Johnson's critics insist that he is a buffoon who does not take the grandest office of state seriously.

Yet as those who would unseat him have learned, becoming Prime Minister was the culmination of his life's work, an against-the-odds achievement defying all political norms.

He takes it very seriously indeed. He is certainly not about to relinquish it lightly.

Harry de Quetteville takes a look back at the turbulent career of the gravity-defying rule-breaker who proclaimed he wanted to be "world king" - as his time as prime minister comes to an end.

Take a look back at the colourful life and times of Mr Johnson in pictures.

Comment and analysis: Johnson resignation in focus

Around the world: Zelensky's 'sadness' in call with PM

Boris Johnson spoke to Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky "to reiterate the United Kingdom's steadfast support" as he quit as Tory leader. Mr Zelensky was quoted as saying: "We all welcome this news with sadness. Not only me, but also all of Ukrainian society which sympathises with you a lot." Yet Russian officials lined up to celebrate his downfall, with a leading tycoon casting the British leader as a "stupid clown" who had finally got his just reward for arming Ukraine against Russia. In the war, Russia has not made any territorial gains in Ukraine for the first time in 133 days, according to its own assessments, hinting at an "operational pause" for its battle-stricken forces. Watch the moment Ukraine drops home-made bomb directly into Russian tank hatch.

Evening briefing: Today's other essential headlines

NHS to cull up to 8,000 jobs | Health chiefs have ordered a blitz on bureaucracy, with up to 40 per cent of jobs to go at central bodies. It follows revelations of an "explosion" in such jobs since the pandemic. Here are the details on the restructuring of central NHS bodies.

Thursday interview

'Batter? Men's Ashes? It's not wokery – it's politeness'

Stephen Fry begins his 12-month tenure as MCC president in October - Jed Leicester
Stephen Fry begins his 12-month tenure as MCC president in October - Jed Leicester

Stephen Fry, the MCC's next president, feels a profound affinity with cricket's most cherished customs. Yet he tells Oliver Brown why he is determined to embrace change

Read the interview

Sport briefing: Shock England selections explained

Another week, another England selection to keep tongues wagging as Eddie Jones hands out debuts to Guy Porter and Tommy Freeman. Jack van Poortvliet comes in at scrum-half, too. Never a dull moment. Debate will rage, and yet this is a side capable of squaring the series. Charlie Morgan analyses why Jones has picked Porter, Freeman and Van Poortvliet. Daniel Schofield suggests this should be Jones' biggest gamble – but he is a man who knows he will not be sacked. Meanwhile, Ons Jabeur has become the first Arab woman to reach grand slam final with victory at Wimbledon over Tatjana Maria. She will face Russian-born 17th seed Elena Rybakina, who beat 2019 champion Simona Halep.

Editor's choice

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  2. Deep love | I was surprised (and embarrassed) by my grief when our dog died

  3. No age limit | The six rules of sex appeal for grown-ups

Business briefing: BA reaches deal with Heathrow staff

British Airways has reached a deal with the union at Heathrow airport, potentially averting some strike chaos this summer. The airline improved its pay offer to check-in staff, according to Unite, which will now re-ballot members on proposed action. Swerving strikes could prevent further disruption after problems like staff shortages forced the flag carrier to cancel more than 10,000 flights this summer. Greg Dickinson analyses why it is too late for BA to fix its summer of chaos.

Tonight starts now

Michelin-level cooking | It is two hours before evening service at Core by Clare Smyth, and the only female chef in Britain to hold three Michelin stars (and one of only seven globally) is keeping an eye on the chefs working away in her Notting Hill restaurant's glass-fronted kitchen. These days, the 43-year-old is less likely to be found chopping onions, or placing flowers on top of her signature "potato and roe" dish – regularly called the world's poshest potato – because she has an empire to run. Core, Oncore opened in Sydney in November, she is searching for a second London location for Core by Clare Smyth, which opened in 2017, and she has just published her first book of elite-level recipes.

Three things for you

And finally... for this evening's downtime

Being friends with your ex | Of things you can do to look modern and well-adjusted, hanging out with your former partner is top of the list. Shane Watson sets out the reasons why being friends with your ex is no bad thing – especially when children are involved.

Coarse, sleazy, unreconstructed | James Caan punched co-stars, lived happily at the Playboy mansion, was often called a 'macho pig'… and that is why he was so gripping to watch. Robbie Collin reveals why we will never see another actor like him.

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