Boris Johnson to become UK Prime Minister after winning party election

Boris Johnson will be Britain’s next Prime Minister after winning the Conservative party leadership race against Jeremy Hunt .

The former mayor of London, got 66% of the votes (92,153, to Hunt’s 46,656). Turnout was 87.4% among 159,320 party members. He will take over from Theresa May on Wednesday.

“DELIVER BREXIT, UNITE THE COUNTRY AND DEFEAT CORBYN”

Speaking at the Queen Elizabeth II centre in London, during his victory speech, Johnson said they “are going to energise the country”.

“We are going to get Brexit done on 31 October and take advantage of all the opportunities it will bring with a new spirit of can- do”, he added.

Johnson promised he would “unite the country and defeat Jeremy Corbyn”, and called Brits to "once again believe in ourselves, and like some slumbering giant we are going to rise and ping off the guy ropes of self doubt and negativity”.

He was Theresa May's Foreign Secretary until resigning over Brexit, and he thanked his predecessor after his victory, saying it had been “a privilege to serve in her cabinet”.

May in turn congratulated her successor, promising him her “full support from the backbenches”.

JEREMY HUNT: “JOHNSON WILL BE A GREAT PRIME MINISTER”

Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt told Sky News that “obviously I am very disappointed for me and for my team, but I’m also incredibly proud of the campaign that we ran, I think we did ourselves proud”.

“I am delighted for the country that Boris has become Prime Minister, I think he will be a great Prime Minister, he’s got optimism, enthusiasm, he puts a smile on people’s face and has total unshakable confidence in our amazing country”, he added.

RESIGNATIONS

Johnson election has led to the immediate resignation of three senior officials and members of the British government, including Finance Minister Philip Hammond, Justice Secretary David Gauke, and Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Duncan.

In his resignation letter, Duncan said he was stepping down “in order to be free to express my views”. He described Brexit as a “dark cloud that has prevented the UK from becoming the dominant intellectual and political force throughout Europe, and beyond”.

CORBYN: “JOHNSON HAS NOT WON THE SUPPORT OF OUR COUNTRY”

Following the announcement of Johnson’s victory, U.K. opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn tweeted that Johnson “had only won the support of fewer than 100,000 unrepresentative Conservative Party members, by promising tax cuts for the richest, presenting himself as the bankers’ friend, and pushing for a damaging no-deal Brexit”.

“But he hasn't won the support of our country”, Corbyn concluded.

US President Donald Trump also sent his congratulations to Mr Johnson, tweeting: “He will be great!”