Boris Johnson will become Britain’s next prime minister after winning a convincing victory over Jeremy Hunt in the Conservative Party leadership race.
The former mayor of London, who has long harbored an ambition to lead his country, won 66% of the vote – 92,153 votes to Hunt’s 46,656. Turnout was 87.4% among 159,320 party members.
In a characteristically easy-going acceptance speech, Johnson acknowledged that even some of his own supporters might “wonder frankly what they have done.”
He said the Tory party had historically shown it could “reconcile the conflicting instincts in the human heart” – such as owning a home and helping the poorest in society.
“Today, at this turning point in our history, we once again have to reconcile two noble sets of instincts – between the deep desire for friendship and free trade and mutual support and security between Britain and our European partners; and the simultaneous desire, equally heartfelt, for democratic self-government in this country.”
He reminded his audience of ministers and party staff of his campaign slogan: “Deliver Brexit, unite the country and defeat Jeremy Corbyn.”
Noting that “some wag” had pointed out this spelled “DUD,” he joked that the last E – “E for energize” – had been left out. “I say to all the doubters: dude, we are going to energize the country!”
Johnson said he would “get Brexit done by 31 October” with a “new spirit of can-do.”
“We are once again going to believe in ourselves and what we can achieve, and like some slumbering giant we are going to rise and ping off the guy-ropes of self-doubt and negativity.”
The result of the contest was announced by the joint chair of the backbench 1922 Committee, Cheryl Gillan. Her colleague, Charles Walker, first urged MPs to be “kinder” to the new leader than they had been to Theresa May.
Brandon Lewis, the Conservative Party chairman, announced the result at a conference center in Westminster, saying the race had shown that his party was fundamentally united.
Johnson’s victory was almost immediately welcomed by Donald Trump, who tweeted: “He will be great!”
But Johnson was left in no doubt about the resistance he will face from his own benches if he attempts to push through a no-deal Brexit. Alan Duncan resigned as a Foreign Office minister on Monday, and Anne Milton as education minister on Tuesday, rather than serve under Johnson.
The chancellor, Philip Hammond, the justice secretary, David Gauke, and the international development secretary, Rory Stewart, are expected to join them on the backbenches after the leadership change.
Stewart confirmed he would return to the backbenches on Wednesday, tweeting: “Backbench tomorrow serving Cumbria. Thank you all. More walking!”
Johnson addressed Tory MPs at a meeting of the 1922 Committee on Tuesday afternoon, as well as thanking party staff and his own campaign team.
He will not formally take office until Wednesday afternoon. May will face her final prime minister’s questions in the House of Commons before tendering her resignation to the Queen.
Johnson will then go to Buckingham Palace for his appointment to be confirmed, before being driven to Downing Street to give a speech in front of the black door of No 10.
He takes charge at a treacherous political moment. The Conservatives’ thin working majority is expected to be eroded even further next week – to just two – if the Liberal Democrats win the Brecon and Radnorshire byelection.
Johnson has faced an angry internal rebellion even before arriving in Downing Street, with several key cabinet ministers, including Hammond, saying they would resign rather than serve under him.
They have been unsettled by Johnson’s insistence that he is willing to countenance leaving the European Union without a deal on 31 October, rather than delaying Brexit again, even if that meant proroguing parliament.
Despite meticulous media management, his campaign was dogged by a series of controversies, including the revelation that police had been called to a loud argument at the home he shares with his partner, Carrie Symonds.
