JOHNSON QUITS AS TORY LEADER, SAYING WILL OF PARTY IS CLEAR

The prime minister quits as Conservative leader but says he will continue to serve as PM until the party chooses his successor
Boris Johnson says it is "clearly now the will" of Conservative MPs that there should be a new leader
The PM says a "herd instinct" at Westminster rejected his bid to stay on as party leader
But a growing number of Tory MPs say he has to leave No 10 now rather than wait
Labour says Johnson cannot stay on as PM, or they will try to bring a no confidence vote in Parliament
Johnson has been appointing a new cabinet - Greg Clark is the new Levelling Up Secretary while Kit Malthouse is Chancellor for the Duchy of Lancaster
James Cleverly becomes the third education minister in three days, while Robert Buckland is made Welsh Secretary
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss - who has remained silent for days - is cutting short a foreign trip and returning to London

Question that remains: How will government function?

The new cabinet is now in place.

But I understand government whips are having discussions on how to get current legislation through Parliament with so few junior ministers remaining.

How will Conservatives choose a new leader?

It’s now up to the 1922 Committee of backbenchers to decide the timetable for electing a new Conservative Party leader.

My sources say there is likely to be a meeting on Monday, where the executive of the committee will decide on rules and timetable.

Tory MPs will whittle the number of candidates down to two. I’m told that’s likely before the summer recess.

The final two - assuming they both want to run - would then spend summer fighting for the leadership.

The expectation is a new leader will be in place by September. But I should emphasise - some Tory MPs want Boris Johnson out much quicker.