As it happened:UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson resigns;Conservatives to elect new party leader

And that’s where we’ll leave our live coverage ofBoris Johnson’sresignation.

Recapping today’s events:

Which means there’ll be plenty more news to come on UK politics which me and Europe correspondentRob Harriswill be bringing you.

Thanks for joining us tonight.

Tom Tugendhat,who has fashioned himself as a China-hawk and long-timeBoris Johnsoncritic - and who chairs the Commons select committee - will run for the Tory party leadership.

Damian Green,who chairs the One Nation group of Conservative MPs - the moderate-leaning faction - says he will back Tugendhat as a “fresh start” candidate.

“You can take it that Tom is going to run,” he told Britain’s Sky News.

Former Australian prime ministerTony Abbott who is one of the few people who can know what it’s like to be told your time is up (in 2016 he was rolled byMalcolm Turnbull),saysBoris Johnsondeserves Australia’s gratitude.

“Boris Johnson has massive achievements to his credit,” he said.

“He got Brexit done where no one else could. He’s led the Western response to Putin’s genocide against Ukraine.

“He’s brought Britain back ‘east of Suez’ when the world needed a strong response to Beijing’s belligerence,” he said.

Further,he added that Johnson had been a “great friend to Australia” as one of the authors of the AUKUS deal to give Australia nuclear submarines.

“Politics is a hard and unforgiving business,but it’s essential for the wellbeing of nations,” he said.

“He deserves our gratitude,especially on this day of personal disappointment.”

One act Abbott didn’t list was Johnson’s decision to give Australians access to 4 million doses of the UK’s Pfizer vaccines to help the country get out of lockdown.

Boris Johnsonsays the government of the country “will be carried on” while the new Tory leader is selected,suggesting he intends to remain as prime minister for that time.

He said that he would give whoever is elected leader “as much support as I can”.

He listed his achievements as getting Brexit done,the vaccine rollout and the fastest return to normal life out of the pandemic and leading the world in helping Ukraine stand up to Russia’sVladimir Putin.

“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 said.

“My friends,in politics no-one is remotely indispensable,” he said.

Boris Johnsonis now speaking.

He walked out to applause from his wifeCarrieand supportive ministers gathered outside Number 10.

He sounds ebullient and optimistic,there is not a trace of emotion or sadness in his voice.

“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 prime minister,” he began.

“In Westminster,the herd instinct is powerful and when it moves,it moves.”

He said the process of choosing a new leader would begin now,with the timetable to be announced next week.

“I’ve today appointed a new cabinet to serve,as I will,until the new leader is in place,” he said.

He says he wants to say thank you to the millions who voted Conservative in 2019,some of them for the first time.

“Thank you for that incredible mandate,the biggest Conservative majority since 1987,” he said,adding that was the reason he had “fought so hard” in the last few days was to deliver on that mandate in person.

“Because I felt it was my job,my duty,my obligation to you,” he said.

He said he had argued to his colleagues that it would be “eccentric” for the party to change leaders.

“I regret not to have been successful in those arguments,and of course,it’s painful,” he said.

“In Westminster,the herd instinct is powerful and when it moves,it moves,” he said.

But this new act fromBoris Johnson offers some insight into his thinking.

He’sjust appointed three new cabinet ministers to replace those who have quit or,as in the case ofMichael Gove,were fired.

James Cleverlyhas been appointed Education Secretary,making him the third in the job in as many days.

On Tuesday,the position was held byNadhim Zahawi,who then took on the Chancellorship and today told Johnson to quit.

On Wednesday,Michelle Donelanwas education secretary but then quit on Thursday.

And today it’s Cleverly.

Taking your bets on how long will he last in the job!

Greg Clarkwas appointed to replace Gove andRobert Bucklandwas also made a Secretary of State.

We’re still waiting forBoris Johnsonto make a statement announcing his resignation as Conservative party leader and to set out the governance arrangements,including if he will stay on while his replacement is elected.

This move by Labour leaderKeir Starmermay force Johnson’s hand.

Starmer has just announced that he will table a motion of no confidence in the Commons if Johnson stays on as prime minister.

The UK’s Foreign SecretaryLiz Trussis cutting short her attendance at the G20 in Indonesia.

Truss is one of the frontrunners for the leadership and has been manoeuvring for months.

Logistics are still being sorted out but given the 18-hour flight involved,it’s not expected that she will return to Britain until late Friday.

Cabinet minister Kwasi Kwarteng says the state of politics in the UK right is “depressing” and that “Westminster is a mess.”

He says the new leader needs to be elected “as soon as practicable”.

“Someone who can rebuild trust,heal the country,and set out a new,sensible and consistent economic approach to help families,” he said.

Who could that be?

Kwarteng is widely considered to be backing Foreign SecretaryLiz Truss.

He said he was launching a massive offshore wind factory in the North that would employ hundreds of locals.

“Westminster is a mess,but this investment - and those jobs - will outlast any PM.

“The wheels of government must continue in the meantime,” he said.