But Mr Johnson told his new cabinet: he wouldn’t make major policy changesleading to questions about how he could face the policy challenges of the coming months.
A reading from the Downing Street meeting said of the Prime Minister: “He made it clear that the government would not try to implement new policies or make major changes in direction, but would focus on executing the agenda on which the government was elected. He said important tax decisions should be left to the next prime minister.”
Sir Robert Buckland, who returned to cabinet on Thursday as Secretary of Wales, said: “This Prime Minister no longer has the political authority to do new things” – a sign of how limited in office Mr Johnson will be.
Strikes by teachers, postmen, doctors in the coming months and railway workers all are looming, in part because of a wage stalemate – though the unions have yet to make decisions.
The economy is faltering, inflation is rising and a recession is expected before the end of the year. A stalemate with Brussels over Post-Brexit trading conditions in Northern Ireland remain†
Supporters of Mr Johnson’s stance responded by noting that both Theresa May and David Cameron remained at number 10 while a race to succeed them took place.
There is also no official “acting prime minister” position recognized in Britain’s constitutional history, making it unclear how it would work if an MP stepped into such a role.
George Freeman, who stepped down as Science Secretary on Thursday morning, said: “Unfortunately, it is very difficult to see how Boris Johnson, given the character he is, will be able to reign for three months in quiet humility and remorse. That was certainly not the tone of his speech.
“My real concern is that the instability will fuel a feverish moment of midsummer madness, where we rush to pick the wrong person because of the instability. We can’t afford that.”
Andrea Leadsom, the former business secretary who has twice stood for the Tory leadership, said: “I don’t think it’s acceptable at all for us to have a long, drawn-out leadership campaign.
“I think Boris would do better to go now and salvage what’s a great track record in some really important big events.”
Simon Hoare, a backbench MP, said on Twitter: