‘No one is remotely indispensable’: Johnson’s resignation speech

     – On resigning –

“It is clearly now the will of the parliamentary Conservative party that
there should be a new leader of that party and therefore a new prime
minister… 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.”

– On this week’s events –

“The reason I have fought so hard in the last few days to continue to
deliver that mandate in person was not just because I wanted to do so, but
because I felt it was my job, my duty, my obligation, to you to continue to
do what we promised in 2019.

     “In the last few days, I’ve tried to persuade my colleagues that it
would be eccentric to change governments when we are delivering so much and
when we have such a vast mandate…

“And I regret not to have been successful in those arguments and, of
course, it’s painful not to be able to see through so many ideas and projects
myself.”

– On his legacy –

“I’m immensely proud of the achievements of this government — from
getting Brexit done, to settling our relations with the continent for over
half a century; reclaiming the power for this country to make its own laws in
parliament; getting us all through the pandemic; delivering the fastest
vaccine rollout in Europe, the fastest exit from lockdown; and in the last
few months, leading the West in standing up to (Russian President Vladimir)
Putin’s aggression in Ukraine.”

– On the next leader –

“In politics, no one is remotely indispensable, and our brilliant and
Darwinian system will produce another leader, equally committed to taking
this country forward through tough times, not just helping families to get
through it, but changing and improving the way we do things…

“And to that new leader I say, wherever he or she may be, I will give
you as much support as I can.”

– To the British public –

“I know that there will be many people who are relieved, and perhaps
quite a few who will also be disappointed. And I want you to know how sad I
am to be giving up the best job in the world. But them’s the breaks!”

     “I want to thank you, the British public, for the immense privilege that
you have given me and I want you to know that, from now on until the new
prime minister is in place, your interests will be served and the government
of the country will be carried on.”

– To the people of Ukraine –

“I know that we in the UK will continue to back your fight for freedom
for as long as it takes.”

– In conclusion –

“Being prime minister is an education in itself. I’ve travelled to every
part of the United Kingdom and in addition to the beauty of our natural
world, I found so many people possessed of such boundless British
originality, and so willing to tackle old problems in new ways, that I know
that even if things can sometimes seem dark now, our future together is
golden.”