Rishi Sunak announces resignation as Conservative Party leader after defeat

Faced with a triumphant Labour Party, the British Conservative Party suffered its worst defeat since the beginning of the 20th century in these legislative elections: only 121 MPs were elected, compared to 365 five years ago under former Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

Outgoing British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced on Friday July 5 his resignation as head of the Conservative Party after his crushing defeat in the general election, apologizing to the British people as he left Downing Street. “I would like to say first of all: I am sorry.”he declared on the steps of the official residence of the Prime Ministers before going to present his resignation from the government to King Charles III.

“I have given my all to this work, but you have sent a clear signal: the UK government must change. And that is the only judgment that matters.”

Faced with a triumphant Labour Party, the British Conservative Party suffered its worst defeat since the beginning of the 20th century in these legislative elections: only 121 MPs were elected, compared to 365 five years ago under former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, according to almost final results.

Six weeks ago, Rishi Sunak took the gamble of calling a general election earlier than expected, going all out in the face of Labour’s considerable lead and hoping to be buoyed by an improvement in the economic situation.

Richi Sunak, 44, entered Downing Street in October 2022, after the disastrous term of his predecessor Liz Truss, who remained in office for 49 days and whose unfunded tax cut plan sent markets into panic and the pound into a tailspin.

The youngest British prime minister in 200 years and the first head of government of Indian origin, Rishi Sunak has managed to bring back some stability after the chaos of the Boris Johnson era. But this former multimillionaire banker, very unpopular, has never managed to convince voters, deeply tired of 14 years of Conservative government.