Boris Johnson has delivered his resignation speech on the steps of 10 Downing Street.
The Prime Minister said: “I want you to know how sad I am to be giving up the best job in the world – but them’s the breaks.”
He also assured people that ‘our future together is golden’.
While delivering his speech, nearby protesters blasted Bye Bye Baby by the Bay City Rollers.
There were loud boos and jeers when Mr Johnson mentioned the NHS.
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He said that he was ‘immensely proud of the achievements of this government’, referring to Brexit, the war in Ukraine, and the pandemic.
It’s not yet known when he will officially leave Downing Street, as the process begins to appoint a new leader.
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The PM had faced increasing pressure to step down from his position in recent weeks amid several scandals, from Partygate to Pincher.
A slew of resignations from across government have flooded in this week, with 59 MPs quitting in the last two days, including his trusted Chancellor Rishi Sunak.
Boris Johnson’s resignation speech in full
“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 PM and I’ve agreed with SIr Graham Brady, the chairman of our backbench MPs that process of choosing that leader should begin now. The timetable will announced next week. I have today appointed a cabinet to serve, as I will, until a new leader is in place.
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“I want to say to the millions of people who voted for us in 2019, many of them voting Conservative for the first time, thankyou for that incredible mandate, the biggest Conservative mandate since 1987, the biggest share of a vote since 1979.
“The reason I have fought so hard in the last few days to continue to deliver that mandate in person is not just because I wanted to do so but because I thought it was my job, my duty, my obligation to you to continue to do what we promised in 2019. Of course, I am immensely proud of our achievements in government. From getting Brexit done to settling our relations with the continent for 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 standing up to Putin’s aggression in Ukraine.
“Let me say now to the people of Ukraine, we in the UK will continue to back your fight for freedom for as long as it takes, at the same time in this country we’ve been pushing forward a vast programme for infrastructure and skills, technology, the biggest in a century because if I have one insight into human beings it’s the genius, talent and enthusiasm and imagination are evenly distributed through the population but opportunity is not and that’s why we must keep levelling up, keep unleashing the potential of every part of the UK. If we can do that we will be the most prosperous in Europe.
“I have been trying to tell my colleagues it would be eccentric to change governments when we’re delivering so much and have such a vast mandate and actually only a handful of points behind in the polls when we’re midterm and after quite a few months of relentless sledging and when the economic scene is so difficult domestically and internationally. I regret not being successful in those arguments and of course it’s painful not to see through so many ideas and projects myself.
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“As we’ve seen at Westminster the herd instinct is powerful and when the herd moves, it moves. My friends in politics, no-one is remotely indispensable. Our brilliant and Darwinian system will produce another leader equally committed to taking us through tough times not just helping families to get through it but changing and improving the way we do things, cutting the burdens on businesses and yes, cutting taxes because that’s the way to generate the growth and income we need to pay for great public services.
“To that new leader, whoever he or she may be, I say that I will give you as much support as I can. To you, the British public, I know there will be many people who will be relieved and quite a few disappointed, 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 Carrie, our children and all the members of my family who have had to put up with so much for so long. I want to thank the fearless British civil service for all the help and support you’ve given our police and our NHS who at critical moments helped to extend my own period in office as well as our armed services and our agencies that I so admire around the world and our Conservative members and supporters whose selfless campaigners makes our democracy possible.
“I want to thank the wonderful staff here at Number 10 and Chequers and our prop force detectives, the one group who never level. Above all, I want to thank you, the British public for the immense privilege you have given me. 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.
“Being Prime Minister is an education in itself. I’ve travelled to every part of the UK and in addition to the beauty of our natural world I’ve found so many people possessed of such boundless British originality and so willing to tackle old problems in new ways, even if things can sometimes seem dark now our future together is golden. Thankyou very much.”
Featured image: Sky News
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Pep Guardiola signs new contract to stay at Manchester City until 2027
Danny Jones
Blues will be delighted to hear that Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is staying after agreeing to sign a contract extension that will keep him at the club until at least 2027.
The Catalan coach and supremely talented tactician has won all there is to win with Man City and after completing not only a record-matching treble but making history by becoming the first English team to win four Premier League titles in a row, you could argue his Etihad project is well and truly completed.
Guardiola, who joined City back in 2016, has gradually been creeping towards the end of his most recent contract, leaving those slowly searching for his replacement and the fan base wondering what the future holds for their next chapter.
But it turns out they don’t have to worry about life after Pep for a little while longer, as the 53-year-old has now extended his stay for another two seasons. The blue moon that has loomed over Manchester for the best part of a decade isn’t going anywhere just yet.
The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager, who is comfortably one of the most decorated and celebrated coaches in football history, was due to leave the club at the end of the current campaign.
However, although his contract would have seen him depart by June of next summer, this new deal will now see him stay in post until the end of the 2026/27 campaign, which will see him surpass the 10-year mark and then some.
It’s the news all Blues have been waiting for and an announcement that will no doubt come as a huge relief given the immense success he has brought to East Manchester.
Despite waiting until now to seemingly decide his future, the man himself has actually been pretty clear on the matter, insisting that he “fell in love” with the club from the moment he got here and saying as far back as 2020 that “unless they [CFG] sack me, I will stay here.”
Speaking in an official statement, Guardiola said: “Manchester City means so much to me. This is my ninth season here; we have experienced so many amazing times together. I have a really special feeling for this football club. That is why I am so happy to be staying for another two more seasons.”
“Thank you to everyone for continuing to trust and support me – The Owner, The Chairman Khaldoon, Ferran, Txiki, the players and of course the fans… everyone connected to Manchester City. It has always been an honour, a pleasure and a privilege to be here.”
Man City fans will honour Pep with a banner which reads in Catalan, 'we want you to stay'…
"They'll have to bring me the bill. I will pay the bank. I don't want them to spend money for that reason. I feel in love since the first day I came here." 🥺
Better still, while the details of the agreement are yet to be fully detailed, it is thought that the new contract still includes an option to extend for an extra year, meaning we could be looking at Pep in Premier League dugouts even longer.
Should City go on to close the gap on current league leaders Liverpool, it would mean Guardiola would have overseen five title wins with the same team in a row: a feat only matched by very few in European football, most notably Juventus and Bayern Munich, the latter having managed 13 consecutive years.
Who knows if/when Guardiola will actually leave the Etihad Stadium for a new challenge, all we know is he changed modern football forever and has given Manchester – a city already spoilt in this respect – some of the most impressive football it’s ever seen.
All we do know is that the beautiful game’s passionate, bald, tiki-taka extraordinaire known simply as Pep is staying in 0161 for the time being and there are countless fans who are absolutely buzzing about it.
Tributes pour in for chairman of Manchester City’s ‘Cheadle Blues’ supporters club, Tommy Muir
Danny Jones
Tributes are pouring in following the death of Tommy Muir, the long-standing chairman of Manchester City’s ‘Cheadle Blues’ supporters club, at the age of 71.
News of Muir’s death broke on Thursday, 21 November, with countless Man City fans learning of his tragic passing online and proceeding to pay their respects.
The Cheadle Branch boss, lifelong supporter and well-known club figure is said to have died following a period of illness, with a member of the popular Bluemoon Forum claiming he suffered from the progressive disease pulmonary fibrosis for some time.
Numerous messages of sadness, love and support have been shared on social media already.
Sad to hear the news that Tommy Muir has died. A wonderful person who first helped me with my research decades ago. A dedicated MCFC fan. My thoughts are with his family and friends. https://t.co/8rLcL10N2Ipic.twitter.com/dkEmCSU1vl
Just heard a top blue Tommy Muir has passed away. Met Tommy years ago, he helped me out with tickets down the years, we shared a few laughs and pints. He gave me this plaque after he rescued it from Maine Road and is something I'll always treasure. RIP Tommy #trueblue 💙⚽ pic.twitter.com/jfbFLfZCKS
By all accounts, Muir will be remembered as a much-loved leader of City’s Cheadle Branch, as well as a generous character with a great sense of humour.
There are countless messages from people who know him from the local area or through helping sort spare tickets for matchdays and as the familiar face around Maine Road back in the day and on the bus to the Etihad Stadium for many years.
Tommy was also one of the official supporters group members who were treated to a visit by Man City themselves, naming him honorary Life Vice President of the Official Supporters Club and bringing the Treble trophies to his doorstep back in July 2023.
Muir, an ex-Royal Mail worker, also served as the landlord of The Kenilworth pub back in Cheadle, Stockport, where fans would regularly meet pre-match before heading to watch the game.
Local author and historian of Manchester sport, Gary James, wrote on Facebook: “I’ve just seen this news… Sad to hear the news that Tommy Muir has died. A wonderful person who first helped me with my research decades ago. A dedicated MCFC fan. My thoughts are with his family and friends.”
Speaking to The Manc, General Secretary of City’s Official Supporters Club, Kevin Parker told us: Tommy was a blue through and through and 100% committed to The Supporters Club at Cheadle and its members.
“I have known Tommy for over 30 years and no one deserved the recent success the club has had more than him. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him and fondly remembered. He will still be watching our wonderful club from the Blue Stands in the Sky telling anyone who disrespects his Club to ‘do one'”
Known to so many throughout the fan base, even supporters who never met him personally have been sharing their condolences on various platforms. Those who knew him well have nothing but heartwarming memories to share.
Fan forums like Bluemoon have been awash with people mourning Muir’s passing. One person told the story of meeting him at the age of 17 and following him when moved to The George and Dragon pub – another popular City haunt before games.
Another wrote: “I got to know Tommy when I joined the Cheadle Supporters branch. Tommy loved being branch secretary. He was absolutely dedicated to his position as branch secretary […] The branch meetings were serious affairs, getting through what had to be discussed, but in between was humour and laughter brought about by Tommy.
“Tommy had a huge sense of humour, and his one-liners were famous amongst the branch members, which would have everyone laughing throughout the meetings. The coach trips to the away games were never dull. They were always full of cheer, drinking, laughter, and City songs.”
“Keep on watching your beloved City from above. Rest in peace, Tommy.”
Losses like this within a fan base are always tough to take. Our thoughts go out to his family, friends, the Cheadle Branch and all the Blues whose lives he touched. RIP Tommy Muir.