U.K.’s Boris Johnson agrees to resign

The embattled prime minister is expected to step down on Thursday as leader of the ruling Conservative Party after facing mounting calls for his resignation. Johnson’s Downing Street office said he would formally announce his resignation later. More than 40 ministers quit his government and pressed him to resign. It’s unclear if Johnson will remain in office while his party chooses a replacement.

Why is Johnson facing opposition? Recent reports have emerged that he knew about one of his party member’s alleged sexual misconduct — even before he promoted him into a senior position. Johnson survived dire political straits before, including allegations that he was too close to party donors, that he protected supporters from bullying and corruption allegations, and that he misled voters about government office parties that broke COVID-19 lockdown rules.

Dig deeper: Read Onize Ohikere’s report in The Sift about how Johnson weathered a “no-confidence” vote last month.