UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson's resignation on Thursday as the leader of Britain's Conservative party came only after he was overwhelmed by a wave of walkouts by his ministers. More than 50 people on the government payroll quit in the 36 hours before him. 

The key cabinet departures which started the dam burst were those of Health Secretary Sajid Javid and Rishi Sunak, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, on Tuesday evening.

Over the 36 hours between Tuesday evening and Thursday morning a further 23 less senior, non-cabinet ministers and 26 other members of the government - from ministerial aides to trade envoys - also quit.

As the resignations mounted late on Wednesday Johnson himself sacked Michael Gove, Levelling Up Secretary, with a Downing Street source describing the PM's former Brexit right-hand-man as a "snake" in the media. Then, Simon Hart became the third cabinet minister to resign, stepping down from his position as Welsh Secretary.

Early on Thursday, Northern Ireland secretary Brandon Lewis became the fourth cabinet minister to resign and wrote that Johnson was "past the point of no return." Finally, the new Education Secretary Michelle Donelan quit after just 36 hours in the role, moments after the new Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi wrote to Boris Johnson, telling him to "go now." 

Outside 10 Downing Street on Thursday Johnson said: "It is clearly the will of the parliamentary Conservative party that there should be a new leader of that party, and therefore a new prime minister."

The timetable for the Tory leadership race will be announced next week, after three years of Johnson as Prime Minister defined by Brexit, the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian attacks on Ukraine. 

Staying on as Prime Minister until a replacement is found, Johnson said that he was "sad... to be giving up the best job in the world."