Boris Johnson to step down as Conservative leader

United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to resign as Conservative leader on Thursday, following further ministerial resignations.

British press reported that Johnson will continue to serve as PM until autumn to allow a Tory leadership contest to be carried out.

Johnson is also expected to give a resignation statement outside No. 10 Downing Street later on Thursday.

He had vowed to "keep going" following a wave of resignations from the government over his leadership but has now decided to step down.

Senior members of his cabinet, including chancellor Nadhim Zahawi, urged him to resign and "leave with dignity".

The UK PM’s resignation was triggered by a number of revelations surrounding his handling of sexual misconduct allegations against former Deputy Chief Whip Chris Pincher.

In an interview earlier this week, Johnson had apologised for appointing Pincher to a government role. He also admitted he had been informed about the complaint back in 2019, but had made a "bad mistake" by not acting on it.

“I bitterly regret the decision not to... intervene,” he said.

Pincher was suspended as a Tory MP last week. The MP has said he was seeking professional medical support and has denied previous allegations of misconduct.

Johnson’s handling of the incident drew criticism by both opposition and Tory MPs.

The row has seen more than 50 ministers and aides resign from the government.