Boris Johnson to resign, stay as caretaker PM until October

British prime minister Boris Johnson has agreed to resign in the face of an unprecedented exodus of junior and senior ministers, and increasing pressure over his position, the Associated Press said Thursday afternoon citing media reports in the United Kingdom. Johnson is expected to remain as PM while the Conservative Party choose a new leader; an internal election will likely be in the summer, the BBC said, citing a 10, Downing Street source as saying a new leader should be in place by October. The PM will make a statement later today.

Reports that Johnson will quit came minutes after yet another minister walked out of the prime minister's cabinet. News agency AFP said education minister Michelle Donelan told Johnson 'I see no way you can continue...', and finance minister Nadhim Zahawi urged the PM follow his 'heart' and 'go now' .

"I see no way you can continue in (your) post but, without a formal mechanism to remove you, it seems the only way... is for those of us who remain in (the) Cabinet to force your hand," Donelan said according to news agency AFP.

Zahawi - also appointed just 48 hours earlier and seen by some as a potential successor - tweeted calling on Johnson to 'do the right thing and go now'. "Prime minister, you know in your heart what the right thing to do is, and go now," Zahawi - who was also appointed two days ago - said.

Earlier home minister Priti Patel conveyed to Johnson the Conservatives; 'general view'; "... Patel told Johnson that the general view of the Conservative party was that he had to go," American cable news channel CNN reported.

Over 50 junior and senior members of Boris Johnson's cabinet, as well as high-ranking officials have walked out since ex finance minister Rishi Sunak and the former health minister Sajid Javid quit Tuesday.

With his back to the wall, Johnson on Wednesday sacked Michael Gove in a shock move; a Downing Street source told the BBC the PM called Gove a 'snake'.

Anger and discontent against Johnson - which remained bottled up through a number of scandals, including 'partygate' - erupted after the way he dealt with sexual misconduct allegations against ex deputy chief whip Chris Pincher.

It has been suggested Johnson knew about the allegations but still chose to promote Pincher to a senior position; Chris Pincher resigned last week.

Nevertheless, till late Wednesday night Johnson dug in and vowing to 'fight on'. "The prime minister is in buoyant mood and will fight on," James Duddridge, his private parliamentary secretary, told Sky News.

Johnson only narrowly survived a no-confidence vote among Conservative MPs last month; 211 voted for the prime minister but a staggering 148 stood against him. This, ordinarily, means he cannot be challenged again for another year.

That rule, however, is reportedly being changed by the influential '1922 Committee', and another vote would likely have meant defeat for Johnson.