express.co.uk took to the streets of London on Thursday to hear voters’ views on the Prime Ministers demise. While many were happy to be rid of the Old Etonian, others argued that the Tories should keep him and “let him finish Brexit”.
Speaking outside the famous Cutty Sark in London’s Greenwich, Alan, 75, and Jacqueline Warnes, retired from Kent, told express.co.uk that they would not choose anyone from Mr Johnson’s cabinet to replace him.
Mrs Warnes said: “None of them! I would choose Boris. Better the devil you know – be careful what you vote for.
“With Boris, you often get what you see. He is energetic, he travels all over the country to visit all the different people. We have never had that before with a politician.”
Mr Warnes said Mr Johnson had made an effort to remove the UK from the EU, he also pointed to his handling of the Covid pandemic and the furlough scheme as some of the Prime Minister’s achievements.
He said: “I understand that he has to rule the country for three months.” [until October], everything is possible. He could go back in there. I would like to see him stay where he is. Let him finish what he did, let him finish Brexit.
“Let him finish all the other things he promised and if he doesn’t perform after two years. Let the people decide.”
When asked about the more than 50 ministers who had resigned in recent days, de Warnes claimed it was a “plot” against the prime minister.
Ms Warnes said: “I think it’s a conspiracy, a conspiracy as it was with Margret Thatcher.”
Mr Warnes added: “It can’t be one minute ‘Rishi Sunak and Sajid Javid are my mate’ and the next they’re stabbing him in the back.”
Others were ecstatic at the news of Mr Johnson’s passing. But few knew who should replace him.
Speaking outside the Old Royal Naval Academy in Greenwich, London, Nora, who declined to give her last name, said Mr Johnson’s dismissal was “the best in the world”. But she didn’t want anyone in his party or Labor to replace him – not even as a lifelong Labor supporter.
She said, “Keir Starmer has had a character detour.”
She also disliked Labor’s deputy leader Angela Rayner, who she said had a “loud mouth”.
Speaking outside the Cutty Sark in London’s Greenwich, Pablo Grant, 57, who said he was currently unemployed, said the Prime Minister should have resigned “years ago”.
He said: “It’s just disgusting, I hear things and I can’t believe my ears. It’s ridiculous and there’s no opposition anywhere.”
When asked whether Labor should lead the government, he said there was not much difference.
He said no! Not at all, who have they? Keir Starmer? Come on, he’s not really an opposition.”
When asked if he would vote in the general election today, he replied: “No, absolutely not.”
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David Lewis, 75 and retired, spoke outside the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich express.co.uk that he also believes that the prime minister should have resigned “a long time ago”.
He said: “I’m happy with it. I think it should have happened much earlier. I think he has violated a number of parliamentary, ministerial and government conventions about what the prime minister should do.”
He said he didn’t know who to replace Mr Johnson, but he knew he didn’t want that person to be Michael Gove.
He said: “I haven’t kept enough information to myself about who should replace, but I’m, I think I’m concerned about the quality and high turnover of the different people.
“For some reason I haven’t been very interested in Michael Gove becoming prime minister. I think he’s a bit hardline, I guess.”
Rachel Johnston, 65, is a psychotherapist from Northern Ireland who was “lucky” to be rid of Mr Johnson.
Speaking outside Cutty Sark in London’s Greenwich, she said she “lost interest” in politics because of Mr Johnson.
She said she would not support anyone who had supported the Prime Minister and that she was not a Labor or Tory supporter but “middle of the road”.
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Susie, 29, who works for the Federation of Trade Unions, said she was glad the prime minister had resigned. She was a long-time supporter of Labor and worried about who would come next.
Speaking at the Old Royal Naval College she said: “It’s a weird one; it doesn’t feel as great as it should. Because it’s been so long. He’s real, he’s incredible in terms of what he’s done to this country… He doesn’t have a moral compass at all, but what worries me now is who’s next? It literally scares me. All Tories, they are all exactly the same. They don’t care about people.”
The Prime Minister has resigned after a series of resignations following his appointment of Chris Pincher as deputy chief of government Whip. Mr. Pincher has been charged with several counts of sexual assault.
When it was revealed that the Prime Minister was aware of the allegations when he appointed Mr Pincher, Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Health Minister Sajid Javid resigned – they were followed by more than 50 MPs in ministerial positions.
Johnson finally gave in and announced his resignation today in a Downing Street speech.