Outgoing British Prime Minister, Theresa May formally tendered her resignation to Queen Elizabeth II on Wednesday as her successor Boris Johnson prepares to take over.
May arrived at the palace after earlier urging Johnson to deliver Brexit “in a way that works for the whole United Kingdom” — an allusion to the deep divisions that the issue has caused in the country.
On Monday, the UK’s Conservative Party elected Boris Johnson to become the party’s leader and also the next prime minister.
Johnson defeated Jeremy Hunt, UK’s Foreign Minister, with 92,153 votes compared to his rival’s 46,656 votes to take over N0. 10 Downing Street.
Here are a few things to know about the new PM.
On Monday, the UK’s Conservative Party elected Boris Johnson to become the party’s leader and also the next prime minister.
Johnson defeated Jeremy Hunt, UK’s Foreign Minister, with 92,153 votes compared to his rival’s 46,656 votes to take over N0. 10 Downing Street.
Here are a few things to know about the new PM.
- Boris Johnson was born Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson on June 19, 1964.
- He has been married twice and currently lives with his partner, Carrie Symonds.
- Johnson was a former mayor of London.
- According to FullFact, a non-governmental organisation, Johnson’s annual salary is $187,033 (or £150,402).
- Johnson was a journalist before he became a politician.
- American President Donald Trump, while congratulating Johnson, called him, UK’s Trump. He said, “They call him Britain Trump — that’s a good thing. They like me over there, that’s what they wanted, what they need.”
- Johnson is pro-Brexit, but he left Theresa May’s cabinet, over her handling of the Brexit process. He has however said he is determined to bring Britain out of the EU by “October 31st, do or die…come what may.”
- He is the son of a diplomat and an artist.
- Johnson attended Eton, and later Oxford, where he studied Classics.
- As a mayor of London, Johnson banned alcohol on the London Underground.