Here’s What Happens Next As U.K. Selects New Prime Minister

Topline

The U.K.’s Conservative Party will be tasked with finding a new leader for Parliament after Prime Minister Boris Johnson steps down as party leader, triggering a process that could involve numerous lawmakers jostling for the top job–here’s what will likely happen next.

Key Facts

Johnson will reportedly resign as Conservative leader on Thursday but will remain prime minister until a new leader is selected, according to the BBC, though he could approach the queen at any time to request she appoint a prime minister in the interim as his party works to select his long-term replacement.

The process for the Tories to pick a new prime minister involves multiple parts, starting with Conservative members of Parliament informing the party they would like to be the next prime minister.

The party then holds votes on secret ballots, eliminating the lowest vote-getter each round until two candidates remain.

The final two candidates then embark on a public campaign ahead of a vote from the entire membership of the Conservative Party, believed to be around 200,000 people.

Party members cast ballots by mail, with the winning candidate becoming the next Conservative Party leader and U.K. prime minister.

The Conservative Party will have the sole say in determining the next prime minister since it holds the majority in the House of Commons, meaning its leader is head of the chamber and thus the U.K. prime minister.

What To Watch For

It took nearly two months for the Tories to select Johnson as prime minister after his predecessor, Theresa May, resigned in 2019.

Surprising Fact

It’s legal to bet on politics in the U.K., and oddsmakers are listing the likes of Penny Mordaunt, the Minister of State for Trade Policy, along with Rishi Sunak and Sajid Javid, two top Johnson cabinet members who abruptly resigned Tuesday, among the favorites to succeed Johnson. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and Jeremy Hunt, whom Johnson defeated in the 2019 leadership election, are also considered contenders.

Key Background

Sunak’s and Javid’s resignations kicked off a flurry of departures among junior ministers and secretaries, with dozens quitting Wednesday in a mass display of dissatisfaction with Johnson’s leadership. Johnson had been coming under increasing pressure to step down for months, in part due to the so-called “Partygate” scandal over hosting parties at Downing Street during a time of strict Covid lockdown policies. Johnson was fined in April over the scandal, making him the first sitting prime minister penalized for breaking the law. Johnson also faced criticism for allegedly mishandling sexual misconduct allegations against former Deputy Chief Whip Chris Pincher, which triggered the recent spate of resignations. Johnson faced a no confidence vote on June 6, but survived with the support of 59% of Conservative MPs.

Big Number

15. The next prime minister will become the 15th to serve during the reign of Queen Elizabeth II. The queen’s first prime minister was Winston Churchill.

Further Reading

U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson Will Reportedly Resign After Government Exodus (Forbes)

What happens next if Johnson quits? (New York Times)

U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson Survives Confidence Vote After ‘Partygate’ Scandal (Forbes)

Chris Pincher: How No 10 changed its story on what Boris Johnson knew (BBC)

U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson Fights For Survival After Wave Of Government Resignations (Forbes)