as but to go. we have seen at westminster, the herd as we have seen at westminster, the herd instinct is powerful. when the herd instinct is powerful. when the herd moves, it moves. and, my friends, in politics, no one is remotely indispensable. mew friends, in politics, no one is remotely indispensable. new cabinet ministers have _ remotely indispensable. new cabinet ministers have been _ remotely indispensable. new cabinet ministers have been appointed - remotely indispensable. new cabinet ministers have been appointed to - ministers have been appointed to those who had resigned in the last couple of days. mrjohnson says any major decisions will be left for the next government. but the opposition and a growing number within his own party — think he should leave number 10 now. thank you forjoining me here in downing street on bbc news. i will be here for the next three hours. if you have questions about what is playing out in uk politics, i think we all do, send them my way. you can do that via twitter and if i cannot help out, i will be speaking to people who definitely can. borisjohnson will stand down as prime minister and leader of the conservative leader in time. the question is when. have a listen closely to what the prime minister said, at the podium outside downing street, earlier today. it is clearly now of the will of the parliamentary conservative party that there should be a new leader of that party and therefore a new prime minister, and i've agreed with sir graham brady, the chairman of our backbench mps that the process of choosing that new leader should begin now and the timetable will be announced next week. and i've today appointed a cabinet to serve, as i will, until a new leader is in place. so let's be clear. borisjohnson is not stepping down now, as leader of the conservatives or the country. it is the process he has kick—started with a timetable that will be confirmed next week, monday, we think. borisjohnson wants to remain prime minister until the autumn when a successor would take over. but that timetable is already under pressure. james duddridge mp is one of his closest aides — and was in no ten when borisjohnson resigned. he will not be there by the conservative party conference, we will have a new leader. to a degree, it's not a matter for the prime minister, it's a matterfor the party chairman, in coordination with the 1922 committee and sir graham brady. speaking informally to colleagues, i won't speak for them, you can get them here, they're wanting a faster process, particularly on the parliamentary side because this is the penultimate week of parliament. it's important that we talk with potential leadership candidates, people talk about the future and what we've got wrong, how we want to reposition ourselves and that really needs to happen whilst we're here physically in the building, talking to one another face—to—face. so, if the question this time yesterday when i was talking to you word mrjohnson go? the question now is how long will this process to replace him take and who will replace him take and who will replace him? we will get into the candidates a little later, those we know about but let's stick to the timetable for now. the former conservative prime ministerjohn major has said it would be "unwise" for borisjohnson to stay in office until the autumn. sirjohn wrote a letter to the chairman of the 1922 committee of backbench conservative mps, and warns that mrjohnson would continue to have "the power to make decisions which will affect the lives of those within all four nations of the united kingdom and further afield" despite losing the support of his mps and ministers. he outlines two possible solutions. either the deputy prime minister should take over on an �*acting basis�* or "the 1922 committee should arrange for the new leader of the party to be elected solely by mps, with the winner being installed as prime minister, and then endorsed by party members". so in effect, cancelling the vote by the tory party members, and shortening the whole process. because what normally happens in a series of votes, the conservative mps were told the candidates down to two and then those two contest with the party members deciding the winner. sirjohn is saying neither of these options are ideal but is suggesting one of them. many of borisjohnson�*s mps were quick to say he should go without delay. listen to this. might it not be in everybody�*s interest to speed up the transition as much as we possibly can? it will not be tenable for him to continue as a caretaker if he cannot fill the ministerial appointments he needs to. what's happened is ministers have seen, well, they've referred - to a lack of honesty and integrity and we clearly can't have that. l it's much better the pm goes now than dragging on to the privileges committee for potentially finding that he'd knowingly misled - the house, because that. would have been a disaster. this is not really sustainable till the autumn, given the extent of the lack of confidence that the parliamentary party's expressed. but, you know, so it's not really for the prime minister to set that timetable, to be honest. this is not about individual promotion, it's not about individual personalities, it's about restoring confidence fast in our system of government and that is urgent and it can't be delayed for two orthree months — it needs to start tonight. i was saying to those of you watching, if you have questions, send them my way. one person said, what is all that shouting in the background? there is the gates of downing street who clearly has a lot of energy and is keen to make themselves heard. i am afraid i don't know who they are. let's look at the key dates. the 1922 committee will elect a new executive on monday. should mps want to put pressure on borisjohnson, the committee could then decide to change the rules to allow for another confidence vote sooner than the one—year timescale that the current rules allow. the next key date — parliament ends for the summer two weeks today — on thursday 21stjuly. the conservative party conference begins 2nd october in birmingham — but as we're hearing a successor could be in place well before that. even some of mrjohnson�*s allies are saying they think september is realistic. there are other conservative mps — plenty of them on the bbc today — who say borisjohnson should get his way on this and remain as prime minister for several months more until a successor is chosen. have a listen. i think he should stay. this has been a very disruptive period and i think more disruption would not be welcome — both for those people running businesses and in the country and for their wider national security situation in europe. there are no ideal outcomes but it has been the case in the past that where a prime minister steps down, they stay in office pending the election of a successor. so i think that's the only viable option now. i do think that the pm should stay on and we should govern the wayl we need to because, as you can imagine, we still need to pass. policy, pass laws and it's important that we have a cabinet in position. and we have ministers there to be able to deliver on that. _ the leadership election and process should happen i think as quickly as it reasonably can. we've got to make sure we make the right choice but we should do it as quickly as we're reasonably able to. there's a big difference between being a prime minister, he was only talking a few weeks ago about serving until the 2030s, versus just acting in a caretaker capacity for a short period of time, not introducing new policy. the opposition labour party is following this closely. its leader keir starmer is calling for boris johnson to go immediately. he needs to go, he can't cling on in this way. his own party have finally concluded that he's unfit to be prime minister. they can't now inflict him on the country for the next few months. it's obvious he's unfit to be prime minister, that's been blindingly obvious for a very, very long time. and if they don't get rid of him, then labour will step up — in the national interest — and bring a vote of no confidence, because we can't go on with this prime minister clinging on for months and months to come. so perhaps unsurprisingly, keir starmer being very clear that he doesn't think borisjohnson can stay on for a couple of months or more whilst the process plays out. and that threat that labour might call a parliamentary confidence vote could be interesting. that's a vote in which mps from all parties decide whether they want the government to continue. the institute for government says... but if the motion was put forward by labour, it would require a significant rebellion from conservative mps. bearin bear in mind borisjohnson has a sizeable majority. it's not clear that many of them want a general election any time soon. let's speak to shadow secretary of state for foreign, commonwealth and development affaris, david lammy. thank you very much for your time. thank you very much for your time. thank you, great to join you. do thank you very much for your time. thank you, great to join you. thank you, great to 'oin you. do you think that this _ thank you, great to join you. do you think that this matter _ thank you, great to join you. do you think that this matter should - thank you, great to join you. do you think that this matter should be - thank you, great to join you. do you think that this matter should be put| think that this matter should be put to the house of commons, if boris johnson doesn't agree to go immediately? i johnson doesn't agree to go immediately?— johnson doesn't agree to go immediately? johnson doesn't agree to go immediatel ? ~ ., ., immediately? i think we are in a constitutionally _ immediately? i think we are in a constitutionally very _ immediately? i think we are in a constitutionally very different. constitutionally very different position to when david cameron and theresa may recently stepped down as prime minister. there there was a profound sense of policy difference and it was felt they couldn't take the country forward. on this occasion, we've got a situation of no confidence in borisjohnson because his integrity, his credibility, his rule breaking has led to a situation in which his own party, backbenchers and ministers have lost confidence in him. hold on a moment--- — have lost confidence in him. hold on a moment... there _ have lost confidence in him. hold on a moment... there are _ have lost confidence in him. hold on a moment... there are whole - a moment... there are whole government _ a moment... there are whole government departments... i a moment... there are whole i government departments... this a moment... there are whole - government departments... this was their situation _ government departments... this was their situation theresa _ government departments... this was their situation theresa may _ government departments... this was their situation theresa may was - government departments... this was their situation theresa may was in, i their situation theresa may was in, she was told by sir graham brady that mps had lost confidence in her. i think there is a real situation now where the labour party may well have to force a vote of no confidence and force members of parliament to demonstrate whether they truly have confidence in this man who has lost all shred of credibility. and let me say this in my capacity as shadow foreign secretary. last summer, we had the breaking, awful situation in afghanistan. there are very serious issues that can arise in a very tough geopolitical environment. we need a serious government to continue to take us forward, with rising inflation and stagnation in our economy. so for all those reasons, this is a time to get serious. i think the conservative party should heed the words of the former prime ministerjohn major in indicating that really borisjohnson is not fit to serve a day longer. but as i recall, the labour party was notjust critical of boris johnson during their withdrawal from afghanistan but also of dominic raab. now if the prime minister were to stand down, in the short term the person most people would turn to would be the deputy prime minister while that election of a new leader was going ahead. is that something that you would want?— was going ahead. is that something that you would want? well, we have a first amongst — that you would want? well, we have a first amongst equals _ that you would want? well, we have a first amongst equals situation - that you would want? well, we have a first amongst equals situation in - first amongst equals situation in our constitutional arrangements. so you are right, dominic rav is deputy prime minister. he was incompetent and incapable, he was in crete on holiday and we criticise him for that reason. however, we did not raise personal issues of integrity and probity and rule breaking in relation to dominic raab. but in the end, we as the official opposition have been clear, the british people now need a choice, we are ready for a general election, let's get on with it. we have had 12 years of the conservatives. our economy feels busted at this moment for many people up and down the country. let's put this to the people, have a general election, it's myjudgment general election, it's my judgment andindeed general election, it's myjudgment and indeed both the polls, the by—elections and the last council elections demonstrate that labour would be forming the next government and i suspect that's why the conservatives want to stretch this as long as possible.— as long as possible. right now do ou think as long as possible. right now do you think this _ as long as possible. right now do you think this country _ as long as possible. right now do you think this country needs - as long as possible. right now do i you think this country needs another election? theresa may called an early election in 2017, boris johnson called one not long after he took over from theresa may in 2019. do we need another election in 2022? shouldn't we let this term play out? after all, when people vote, they vote for their mps who in turn form a government. if the conservatives have a functioning majority in the house of commons, shouldn't they be able to continued until the end of that term? d0 able to continued until the end of that term?— that term? do we need a prime minister that _ that term? do we need a prime minister that rule _ that term? do we need a prime minister that rule breaks, - that term? do we need a prime minister that rule breaks, thatl that term? do we need a prime l minister that rule breaks, that we can't trust question what do we need a prime minister... that can't trust question what do we need a prime minister. . ._ a prime minister... that is a separate _ a prime minister... that is a separate question. - a prime minister... that is a separate question. i'm - a prime minister... that is a l separate question. i'm saying a prime minister... that is a i separate question. i'm saying if a prime minister... that is a - separate question. i'm saying if he was replaced would it not be satisfactory?— was replaced would it not be satisfactory? was replaced would it not be satisfacto ? ~ ., , �* ., satisfactory? met with a kgb agent, that is a situation _ satisfactory? met with a kgb agent, that is a situation before _ satisfactory? met with a kgb agent, that is a situation before us. - that is a situation before us. clearly the country does not need borisjohnson. that is the immediate concern. so for us as an official opposition, what we can do is bring a vote of no confidence, to bring this to a head. not on our own behalf but on behalf of the british people that now want to see the back of borisjohnson. fine people that now want to see the back of boris johnson.— people that now want to see the back of boris johnson. one more question, i 'ust want of boris johnson. one more question, ijust want to — of boris johnson. one more question, i just want to understand _ of boris johnson. one more question, i just want to understand the - i just want to understand the position of labour. i know you want borisjohnson gone immediately but is your preferred option the deputy prime minister takes over temporarily? or is your preferred option that borisjohnson stands down and there is a general election?— down and there is a general election? ., ., , election? our favourite is the second but — election? our favourite is the second but we _ election? our favourite is the second but we will— election? our favourite is the second but we will live - election? our favourite is the second but we will live with l election? our favourite is the l second but we will live with the first as long as borisjohnson has gone. first as long as boris johnson has one. first as long as boris johnson has tone. ., , ., ~' first as long as boris johnson has tone. ., , ., 4' ,., first as long as boris johnson has tone. ., , ., 4' y., , gone. david lammy, thank you very much forjoining _ gone. david lammy, thank you very much forjoining us _ gone. david lammy, thank you very much forjoining us live _ gone. david lammy, thank you very much forjoining us live on - gone. david lammy, thank you very much forjoining us live on bbc - much forjoining us live on bbc news. you arejoining us here as we can disown you our coverage of boris johnson announcing he will step down as leader of the conservative party. there is ongoing coverage on the bbc live page, full of information. as i was arriving to get ready for this broadcast an hour or so ago, just as i was approaching the gates of downing street, heading in the other direction was nigel faraj. former leader of the uk independence party and — along with borisjohnson — one of the main proponents of brexit. he was here in his capacity of contributing to gb news and he was a key proponent of brexit, not always aligned with borisjohnson but they both wanted brexit and this is what i asked him when he came out of the gate. inevitable. it had to happen. confidence had collapsed. notjust in westminster but actually over half of the conservative voters had had enough. something had to happen. for him, on a personal level, it's sad, but it gives the conservative party a chance to rethink and reset. and that this isn't just about dishonesty. it isn'tjust about covering up. he was elected as a conservative and governed as a liberal, and that's upset a lot of people in the country. what are you looking for, from the new conservative leader? well, that's up to them, but... you will have views on it. i would like to see somebody who decides that brexit needs to be completed. we've got half a brexit. it's not really working fully. borisjohnson says that he's got brexit done. no, no, no. we've got over the line in terms of leaving. there's a heck of a lot to do. by by the way, as the fallout from boris johnson's statement by the way, as the fallout from borisjohnson's statement earlier continues, i boris johnson's statement earlier continues, i can borisjohnson's statement earlier continues, i can see boris johnson's statement earlier continues, i can see jacob rees—mogg, one ofjohnson's most staunch allies, the minister for brexit opportunities has told channel 4, brexit opportunities has told channellt, rishi brexit opportunities has told channel 4, rishi sunak was not a successful chancellor, he was a high tax chancellor. we can expect the issue of tax to be central as this leadership contest plays out. now let's consider how this announcement may be going down around the country. joining me is sirjohn curtice, who's professor of politics at the university of strathclyde. thank you very much forjoining me here on the bbc. how do we go about gauging the impact of boris johnson's