Before Boris Johnson accepted his fate and stepped down as prime minister on Thursday, the nation watched in disbelief as more and more government ministers resigned. While the Prime Minister had seemingly holed up in Downing Street and refused to resign, some remembered the last hours of Gordon Brown’s tenure and drew comparisons. Thursday morning, when it was still unclear whether Johnson would actually resign, Labor councilor Kira Lewis shared a clip on Twitter showing Mr Brown leaving Downing Street in 2010 with his wife and two children, captioning: “Remember when people left Downing St. in dignified ways.”
But political commentator Mahyar Tousi shot back, replying: “Worthy? WORTHY?! We had to drag Brown off Downing Street because he refused to accept that Lib Dems chose the Tories over him.”
The scenes came after Mr Brown’s government lost its majority in the 2010 general election.
Labor had initially hoped to remain in power with a minority government, but as the days wore on and talks with the Liberal Democrats stalled, it became increasingly clear that Mr Brown’s role was untenable.
The Lib Dems eventually managed to strike a deal with the Conservatives, paving the way for David Cameron’s government, which would end in the Brexit referendum.
In 2010, Mr Johnson was still a columnist for the Telegraph – and his piece, published just hours before Mr Brown stepped down, will make today uncomfortable reading for the outgoing Prime Minister.
Mr Johnson wrote: “It’s all incredible. As I write these words, Gordon Brown is still sitting on Downing Street.
“He’s like an illegal settler in the Sinai desert tying himself to the radiator, or like David Brent chasing The Office in that excruciating episode when he refuses to acknowledge he’s been fired.
“Isn’t there someone – the Queen’s Private Secretary, the nice police officer at the door of No. 10 – whose job it is to tell him the game is over?”
Mr Brown resigned just hours after Mr Johnson’s column was published.
Johnson could be accused of hypocrisy as he could become the longest-serving outgoing prime minister ever.
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He has reportedly insisted that he will remain in office until the fall, granting himself an unprecedented month-long term in office, despite his intention to step down.
Alternatively, a source has suggested Theresa May could make an extraordinary return to Downing Street as interim prime minister.
They told the Daily Mail: “She knows the tricks of the trade and security, she’s a party girl through and through, she’s definitely not interested in standing up for herself and would be credible. She’s uniquely placed. “
Johnson’s former adviser Dominic Cummings has claimed the outgoing leader will cause a “bloodbath” if he remains in office until a new prime minister is elected.
He tweeted this morning that Dominic Raab should take over soon.
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Mr Cummings said: “Turn off today or he will be a bloodbath, even now he is playing for time and will try to stay.
“No ‘dignity’, no ‘interim leadership contest’. Raab should be interim prime minister by evening.”
However, precedent dictates that outgoing prime ministers remain in office until a new successor is found.
As soon as a conservative leader resigns, an election for a new party leader is initiated.
Under current rules, candidates need the support of eight Conservative MPs to run for office.
Once all candidates have declared themselves, the Tory MPs will hold a series of votes until only two are left.
With two MPs remaining, all members of the Conservative Party across the country will vote for the winner.
The timetable for each match is set by the 1922 Committee of Backbench MPs, and the committee could vote to change the rules before the match takes place.