Fewer than three years since winning an ATC majority and seemingly smashing Labour's Red

Wall for Good, Boris Johnson has resigned with his government in Tatters.

Since Tuesday night, 59 members of government have resigned, including, Sajid Javid, Rishisunak

and Michelle Donnellan, who had only been in education secretary for a single day.

Yesterday, Michael Gove issued Boris Johnson a nine o'clock deadline to leave his office

with a shred of dignity intact. He was then fired at 8.59 pm. By 9.30 this morning,

the writing was on the wall, the lectern was out, and by 12.30 the Prime Minister was announcing

his intention to step down and make way for a new Tory Prime Minister. With me to discuss

all of the day's drama and what comes next is the incomparable, the infectious Michael Walker.

Well, infectious is quite the word to use in this moment. Ash, thank you so much for having me

on tonight because I have had the worst timed bout of COVID-19. I could have had a testive

positive on Tuesday and that's when the whole government started collapsing. But I'm so delighted

to be joined or to be joining you, sorry this evening. I mean, I actually saw Nadine Dorees

posting contaminated swabs through your letterbox. So make of that what you will.

Sky News branded Boris Johnson's resignation speech as dignified but tinged with sadness.

That might not have been the same resignation as the rest of us watch this lunchtime.

The Prime Minister struck a rather more winging tone as he reluctantly announced that he'd be stepping

down. The reason I have fought so hard in the last few days to continue to deliver that mandate

in person was not just because I wanted to do so but because I felt it was my job,

my duty, my obligation to you to continue to do what we promised in 2019.

And then the last few days I've tried to persuade my colleagues that it would be eccentric to change

governments when we're delivering so much and when we have such a vast mandate and when we're

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