The BBC’s political editor Chris Mason says the embattled prime minister has finally agreed to go after another torrid morning that saw several cabinet ministers walk out.
The prime minister is expected to confirm the reports when he addresses the nation within hours.
It is understood he will plough on with the top job until a new party leader is chosen over summer.
It marks a huge turn of events after Mr Johnson vowed to stay on yesterday, saying quitting would ‘not be responsible’ because of the huge mandate he won at the 2019 General Election.
He refused to go even after a delegation of cabinet allies marched into his office saying the game is up and they no longer support him.
Mr Johnson lashed out last night by sacking ‘treacherous’ Cabinet rival Michael Gove and pledging to ‘outline a new economic programme of tax cuts, deregulation and the benefits of Brexit’.
But this morning he was hit with another raft of resignations, including new Education Secretary Michelle Donelan, who was only appointed two days ago.
Even newly appointed Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi turned on him, writing a blistering letter saying he should ‘leave with dignity’.
The extraordinary statement said the country ‘deserves a government that is not only stable, but which acts with integrity’.
The prime minister faced another humiliating plea to go from ally Suella Braverman, who confirmed she would stand in a Tory leadership election – without leaving her current post as attorney general.
The prime minister’s resignation is expected to come before lunch time, according to the BBC.
A No 10 source said Mr Johnson spoke to Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the Conservative 1922 Committee, to inform him of his decision.
‘The Prime Minister has spoken to Graham Brady and agreed to stand down in time for a new leader to be in place by the conference,’ they said.
The pound started trading higher this morning in the wake of the news of his departure.
Who has resigned from the government so far?
Sajid Javid – health secretary
Rishi Sunak – chancellor
Will Quince – minister for children and families
Alex Chalk – solicitor general
Bim Afolami – Tory vice chair
Laura Trott – PPS to the Department of Transport
Andrew Murrison – trade envoy to Morocco
Jonathan Gullis – PPS to the Northern Ireland secretary
Saqib Bhatti – PPS to the health secretary
Nicola Richards – PPS for the Department for Transport
Virginia Crosbie – PPS to the Welsh Office
Theo Clarke – trade envoy to Kenya
Robin Walker – schools minister
John Glen – economic secretary to Treasury
Felicity Buchan – PPS to the Department of Business
Victoria Atkins – prisons minister
Jo Churchill – health minister
Stuart Andrew – housing minister
Claire Coutinho – PPS to the Treasury
Selaine Saxby – PPS to the Treasury
David Johnston – PPS to Department for Education
Kemi Badenoch – equalities and local government minister
Julia Lopez – minister for media, data and digital infrastructure
Lee Rowley – minister for industry
Neil O’Brien – levelling up minister
Alex Burghart – skills minister
Mims Davies – employment minister
Duncan Baker – PPS for Department of Levelling up, Housing and Communities
Craig Williams – PPS to the Treasury
David Duguid – trade envoy for Angola and Zambia
Rachel Maclean – Home Office minister
Mark Logan – PPS to the Northern Ireland Office
Mike Freer – Exports and equalities minister
Mark Fletcher – PPS to the Department for Business
Sara Britcliffe – PPS to the Department for Education
Ruth Edwards – PPS to the Scottish Office
Peter Gibson – PPS to the Department for International Trade
David Duiguid – trade envoy for Angola and Zambia
James Sunderland – PPS at the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
Jacob Young – PPS at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
James Daly – PPS at the Department for Work & Pensions
David Mundell, trade envoy for New Zealand
James Davies – PPS at the Department of Health
Gareth Davies- PPS at the Department of Health
Danny Kruger – PPS at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities
Simon Hart – Welsh secretary
Edward Argar – health minister
Brandon Lewis – Northern Ireland secretary
Helen Whately – Treasury minister
George Freeman – scence minister
Damian Hinds – security minister
Guy Opperman – pensions minister
Chris Philp – minister for tech and digital economy
James Cartlidge – courts minister
Michelle Donelan – education secretary
Caroline Johnson, Conservative Party vice-chair
Luke Hall, deputy chair of the Conservative Party
Rob Butler, parliamentary private secretary at the Foreign Office
Potential leadership contenders include Rishi Sunak and Sajid Javid, who sparked the mass exodus when they sensationally quit within minutes of each other on Tuesday evening.
Since then over 50 ministers, aides and other members of government have followed them out the door.
The slowmotion collapse of the government came after the prime minister finally admitted he knew about sexual misconduct allegations levelled against Tory MP Chris Pincher before appointing him to a senior government role in February, after days of denial.
Pincher resigned as deputy chief whip last week after allegedly groping two men at a private member’s club in London, plunging the government into crisis.
Another front-runner who could take over from Mr Johnson is Mr Zahawi, who has reportedly been working on a Tory leadership campaign for months.
Former foreign secretary and ex-health secretary Jeremy Hunt, a persistent backbench critic of Mr Johnson, could also launch a fresh leadership bid.
However, Labour Leader Sir Keir Starmer has called for a General Election, saying ‘We need a fresh start for Britain’.
He tweeted: ‘The Conservatives have overseen 12 years of economic stagnation, declining public services and empty promises.
‘We don’t need to change the Tory at the top – we need a proper change of government. We need a fresh start for Britain.’
A growing number of Tory MPs are also calling for him to step down immediately.
This could mean deputy PM Dominic Raab running the country as caretaker prime minister until a new leader is elected.
Some Tory sources have also said former Prime Minister Theresa May could be drafted in to temporarily take over due to her past experience.
Tory MP George Freeman said he does not think it can wait until the Conservative Party conference in the autumn for a change.
He said: ‘Boris Johnson needs to hand in the seals of office, apologise to Her Majesty & advise her to call for a caretaker prime minister.
‘To take over today so that ministers can get back to work & we can choose a new Conservative leader to try & repair the damage & rebuild trust.’
Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng also joined calls for a swift end to Boris Johnson’s tenure.
He said: ‘What a depressing state of affairs. So much needless damage caused. We now need a new leader as soon as practicable.
‘Someone who can rebuild trust, heal the country, and set out a new, sensible and consistent economic approach to help families.’
Boris Johnson resigning would makes him the fourth shortest serving Prime Minister in the post-war era.
He’s lasted fractionally longer than Labour’s Gordon Brown, but not as long as predecessor Theresa May, who he ousted from government in 2019.
The timetable for the Tory leadership contest will be agreed between the 1922 Committee, which runs the parliamentary proceedings to whittle the candidates down to two, and Conservative headquarters.
(Metro UK)
