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British Prime Minister Boris Johnson resigns as leader of his Conservative Party

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has agreed to resign, his office said Thursday, ending an unprecedented political crisis over his future that has paralyzed Britain's government.  (Alberto Pezzali/AP)
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has agreed to resign, his office said Thursday, ending an unprecedented political crisis over his future that has paralyzed Britain's government. (Alberto Pezzali/AP)

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced his decision to step down as leader of his own party Thursday. Johnson says he plans to stay on as a caretaker prime minister while his party picks a successor, but there are already calls for him to move aside sooner. Johnson’s departure follows a number of scandals, including lockdown parties during the COVID-19 pandemic and the promotion of a fellow Conservative lawmaker whom Johnson knew had previous sexual misconduct allegations made against him.

Here & Now‘s Scott Tong speaks with Tim Bale, professor of politics at Queen Mary University of London, about Johnson’s leadership and his legacy.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

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