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Boris Johnson's resignation

"Them's the breaks" - the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ's Nick Robinson revisits his analysis of an extraordinary political moment.

Boris Johnson's resignation on 7th July brought to an end an extraordinary and turbulent premiership. Two and a half years earlier, he had been master of all he surveyed politically - having just won a huge majority at the General Election. But scandal and political miscalculation led to Mr Johnson being ousted by his own party.

At the start of the day, the Prime Minister had been planning to cling on to power - but a steady stream of ministerial resignations meant he had little choice but to go. The resignation speech that followed left the impression that he felt hard done by. He blamed "the herd instinct in Westminster" for forcing him out. "I want you to know how sad I am to be giving up the best job in the world," he said. "But them's the breaks".

Nick Robinson - a presenter of Radio 4's Today Programme and a former Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Political Editor - has known Mr Johnson since they were at university together, and has followed his career closely. For this lookback series of 5 Minutes On 2022, he revisits his insights into what the PM said - and what he meant.

Credit image - Dan Kitwood via Getty Images

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7 minutes