Boris Johnson has 'huge grassroots support' says expert

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Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced his plans to step back as Conservative leader on Thursday. Speaking outside of Downing Street, Mr Johnson acknowledged that “no one is remotely indispensable” and accepted that it was the “will of the parliamentary Conservative party” that he should leave No 10. But he also signalled his intention to stay on as prime minister while the party picks his successor, potentially until autumn, triggering an immediate backlash among Tory MPs.

It is understood that Mr Johnson spoke to Queen Elizabeth II twice during the 24 hours that saw his resignation. 

The pair had their weekly audience over the phone on Wednesday evening, and it has been said that the PM called Her Majesty ahead of his public announcement. 

Mr Johnson has been Prime Minister for nearly three years, having taken over Office after the resignation of Theresa May in 2019. 

And to seal his premiership, the new PM met the Queen at Windsor Castle. 

However, following the important meeting, he breached royal protocol earning him a telling-off from Downing Street staff. 

After meeting the monarch, Mr Johnson conducted a tour of the Palace, where a number of journalists were present. 

One journalist, Vincent McAviney, overheard the new Prime Minister reveal details of the private conversation he had with the Queen to fellow tour-takers.

The journalist tweeted that Mr Johnson said the Queen told him: “I don’t know why anyone would want the job [of Prime Minister].”

According to the tweet, he was swiftly “told off by staff not to repeat those things so loudly”.

Despite his initial blunder, Mr Johnson maintained his relationship with the monarch, with the pair meeting for their weekly audience each Wednesday. 

He is the Queen’s 14th prime minister during her 70-year reign and during their meeting the PM updates the monarch on the latest developments.

In order to officially tender his resignation, Mr Johhnson will have to travel to the Queen.

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The resignation audience typically takes place at the Palace but given the Queen’s age and ongoing mobility issues, and the timing of the leadership contest, if the monarch is at her holiday home Balmoral over the summer, the audience could potentially take place in Scotland. 

This usually happens after a successor has been appointed. 

As royal protocol dictates, the monarch remains politically neutral and acts on the advice of her Government in political matters, but the Queen does retain the right to appoint a Prime Minister. And Conservative MPs are beginning to put their names forward in the race to succeed Boris Johnson as Conservative leader and prime minister. 

Rishi Sunak is now the favourite according to betting odds. He leads the field, followed by Penny Mordaunt and Liz Truss.

A timetable for the Tory leadership race is due to be confirmed next week and the new prime minister is expected to be in position by September. 

People putting themselves forward will first have to secure the backing of Tory MPs before the final two go to a ballot of Conservative members.

Under the current rules, candidates need the support of eight Conservative MPs to stand.  

If there are more than two, Tory MPs hold a series of votes until just two remain.

At that point, there is a ballot of the wider Conservative party membership to select the winner.

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