LONDON, July 7 (Xinhua) -- Boris Johnson resigned on Thursday as British prime minister and the leader of the Conservative Party.
In a statement to the country, he said he will continue to serve as prime minister until a new Tory leader is chosen.
Johnson's exit comes amid an avalanche of ministerial resignations over his scandal-hit leadership. The number of resignations from his government exceeded 50 by Thursday morning, including Sajid Javid and Rishi Sunak as health secretary and chancellor of the exchequer, respectively.
Johnson has been dogged by a seemingly endless string of scandals for months, and the Tories worry the party's future in the next general elections in 2024 is on the line.
Johnson became the first serving British prime minister in history to break the law after receiving a fine from the police for attending a party in 2020 during the country's COVID-19 lockdown.
Produced by Xinhua Global Service