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Boris Johnson becomes prime minister after meeting the Queen – live news
Boris Johnson's first speech as prime minister: 'No ifs, no buts - out on 31 October' – live news
(32 minutes later)
The Brexit party has just posted this on Twitter.
The best soundbite in Boris Johnson’s speech was the one about how people who bet against Britain lose their shirts. He liked it so much he used it twice.
Boris has a track record of breaking his word. Can he be trusted to deliver Brexit on October 31st? pic.twitter.com/NlmUX4k1gL
It sounded familiar. Bill Clinton said almost the same thing in his speech to the 2012 Democratic convention (one of the best political speeches of modern times). In his peroration Clinton said:
It is quite similar to the attack tweets being issued by Labour yesterday, like this one.
Look, I love our country so much. And I know we’re coming back. For more than 200 years, through every crisis, we’ve always come back. (Cheers.) People have predicted our demise ever since George Washington was criticised for being a mediocre surveyor with a bad set of wooden false teeth. (Laughter.) And so far, every single person that’s bet against America has lost money because we always come back. (Cheers, applause.) We come through ever fire a little stronger and a little better.
In his campaign to become leader, Boris Johnson boasted he was the biggest defender of the bankers who crashed the economy.He won’t look out for you, only himself and his super-rich friends. Share the truth about our new Prime Minister.https://t.co/0HzbZyWKfd
The UK should be outward-looking, he says.
Here is my colleague John Crace’s take on that photograph.
He says no one has succeeded in betting against Britain.
Queen: ‘Oh fuck. Has it really come to this? https://t.co/cCQmNFMsY9
The work begins now, he says.
Boris Johnson is now prime minister. We have not had the formal announcement from Buckingham Palace yet, but they have released the photograph of his audience with her, which effectively confirms the appointment.
And that’s it.
This is from the Times’ Steven Swinford on the likely composition of Boris Johnson’s cabinet.
Johnson says we should look at the opportunities.
The whole set up of No 10 and the top team appears to be about getting the Vote Leave gang back together to deliver BrexitHence Cummings in No 10, Gove as CDL, Raab as foreign sec, Priti Patel as Home Secretary
Let’s get going on things like free ports, he says.
Boris Johnson is reportedly going to make Dominic Raab, the former Brexit secretary, foreign secretary. (See 12.43pm.) Asked on BBC News if he would welcome this, Nigel Farage, the Brexit party leader, said he would. He explained:
He call for more UK satellites.
I heard Jeremy Hunt talking just two days ago about shipping in the Gulf, and the need to build a European protection force, a European navy. I would much rather see someone like Dominic Raab [as foreign secretary], who believes in Brexit and doesn’t want us being part of a European army.
He calls for tax breaks for innovation.
For anyone who would like to see Labour’s Jess Phillips as PM, here’s her manifesto.
And let’s do something for animal welfare.
No one is in charge for the next 15 mins so I'm going to suggest we immediately instigate actions to act on the climate crisis, set up a proper costed funding system for social care free at the point of delivery and quickly sign off the building of millions of social homes.
(That sounds like a sop to his partner, Carrie Symonds, an environmental campaigner.)
This is from Natalie Bennett, the former Green party leader, on the Greenpeace protest in the Mall.
He says his message to the Irish is that he is confident we can get a deal, without the undemocratic backstop.
A reminder for Boris Johnson, in case the air-conditioning was making him forget: the #ClimateEmergency should be at the top of his in-tray. https://t.co/o82oLKWXHt
But he must prepare for the “remote possibility” of there being no deal, he says.
This is from Greenpeace UK explaining what the protest on the Mall was all about.
(That is not the same as a million-to-one possibility, which was how he put it a few weeks ago.)
BREAKING: we just tried to hand the incoming PM a crucial letter - it contains the answers to tackling the Climate Emergency. But will he *act*? #BorisJohnsonPM #ClimateEmergencySign the petition to demand #ClimateAction: https://t.co/krnIPqT0jq pic.twitter.com/XZMFjawPIz
Johnson says no-deal Brexit is a “remote possibility”.
Boris Johnson is now in Buckingham Palace meeting the Queen.
He says, if there is no-deal, the UK will have its £39bn.
Here is the protest.
Yes, there will be difficulties if there is no-deal, he says.
There is a protest in the Mall. Some Greenpeace protesters are blocking the Mall to try to stop Boris Johnson reaching Buckingham Palace.
But his message to business is that it is not the decisions that are causing problems, but the refusal to take decisions.
From ITV’s Chris Ship
Johnson says the union flag stands for values, including equality and democracy.
Statement from Buckingham Palace. Theresa May just left ...#newprimeminister pic.twitter.com/0tQfoh4JRm
That is why the government will deliver Brexit – people voted for it, and the decision must be respected.
Theresa May has resigned, and Boris Johnson has yet to be appointed PM. For a brief few minutes no one is running the country ...
He says he wants a new partnership with the EU.
Theresa May has now left Downing Street.
His first step is to thank the EU nationals working in the UK.
She is leaving London and going back to her home in her constituency.
Under his government, they will have the absolute right to remain.
David Gauke has resigned as justice secretary, as he said he would. He is refusing to serve in Boris Johnson’s government because he is opposed to a no-deal Brexit.
Johnson says he wants to unit the country.
In his resignation letter Gauke says:
He says he wants to level up.
In my view, the only responsible way to honour the 2016 referendum result is to leave the EU with a deal and, without such a deal, I fear for the prosperity, security and unity of the United Kingdom.
It is time to unleash the productive power of the whole of the UK - the “awesome foursome” that is the whole of the UK.
Given Boris [Johnson’s] stated policy of leaving the EU by 31 October at all costs, I am not willing to serve in his government. I believe I can most effectively make the case against a no-deal Brexit from the backbenches.
The UK is more than the sum of its parts, he says. It is loved through the world.
Just to confirm that immediately after PMQs, I resigned as Justice Secretary and Lord Chancellor. I am very grateful to @theresa_may for giving me the opportunity to serve in her Cabinet. pic.twitter.com/S0GDqgiFLv
Johnson says he will take personal responsibility.
From the veteran political journalist Michael Crick
Never mind the backstop - the buck stops here.
It’s worth remembering that for the last 40+ years every PM has lasted longer than most experts have forecast - Callaghan, Thatcher, Major, Blair, Brown, Cameron and even May. True of many of their predecessors too
He says he can announce - that he will fix the crisis in social care.
Here is the full text of Theresa May’s final speech. There was not really any news in it, although her call for a Brexit that “works for the whole of the United Kingdom” was a way of telling Boris Johnson to avoid a no-deal Brexit. As Nick Robinson argued in last week’s BBC documentary Britain’s Brexit Crisis (which is well worth watching, if you have not seen it yet), it was a visit to Northern Ireland, and conversations with people who said no-deal could lead to Northern Ireland leaving the UK, that persuaded May to abandon her belief that no-deal was acceptable as a fallback option.
(Not an election, then?)
May said:
He says he is confident that we can do this.
I am about to go to Buckingham Palace to tender my resignation to Her Majesty the Queen and to advise her to ask Boris Johnson to form a new administration.
We will crack this in 99 days, he says.
I repeat my warm congratulations to Boris on winning the Conservative leadership election.
But we won’t wait till then.
I wish him and the government he will lead every good fortune in the months and years ahead.
(Is he going for an early election?)
Their successes will be our country’s successes, and I hope that they will be many.
Boris Johnson is now being applauded as he walks to the podium outside Number 10.
Their achievements will build on the work of nearly a decade of Conservative or Conservative-led government.
He says the Queen has invited him to form a government and he has accepted.
During that time our economy has been restored, our public services reformed, and our values defended on the world stage.
He pays tribute to Theresa May. But despite all her work there are pessimists who think the UK has become a prisoner to the arguments of 2016.
Of course, much remains to be done – the immediate priority being to complete our exit from the European Union in a way that works for the whole United Kingdom.
Those critics - “the doubters, the gloomsters” - are wrong.
With success in that task can come a new beginning for our country – a national renewal that can move us beyond the current impasse into the bright future the British people deserve.
The people who bet against Britain will lose their shirts, he says.
To serve as prime minister of the United Kingdom is the greatest honour.
HuffPost’s Paul Waugh has a better picture.
The heavy responsibilities are outweighed by the huge potential to serve your country.
1st pic of @BorisJohnson partner Carrie Symonds outside No.10 pic.twitter.com/Z0qGTxmce6
But you achieve nothing alone.
And as I leave Downing Street, my final words are of sincere thanks.
To my colleagues in government and parliament.
To everyone in the building behind me and across the civil service.
To the men and women of our armed forces and security services.
And to the public servants in our schools, our NHS, our police and the other emergency services.
All are inspired by the noble wish to serve their country in the national interest.
I also want to thank the British people.
Everyone who loves our great country, who works hard for their family and wants their children and grand-children to enjoy greater opportunity than they did.
Thank you for putting your faith in me and giving me the chance to serve.
This is a country of aspiration and opportunity and I hope that every young girl who has seen a woman prime minister now knows for sure that there are no limits to what they can achieve.
Finally and most of all, I want to thank my husband Philip – who has been my greatest supporter and my closest companion.
I am about to leave Downing Street but I am proud to continue as the member of parliament for Maidenhead.
I will continue to do all I can to serve the national interest.
And play my part in making our United Kingdom – a great country with a great future – a country that truly works for everyone.
Theresa May has now arrived at Buckingham Palace to see the Queen.
