Boris Johnson will become the next prime minister of the United Kingdom after defeating Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt by more than 40,000 votes in a Conservative Party leadership ballot.
Almost 160,000 party members were eligible to vote for the new Conservative leader, with the result announced on Tuesday evening. Mr Johnson received 92,153 votes, while Mr Hunt garnered 46,656.
The former mayor of London and foreign secretary will officially become the prime minister on Wednesday after Theresa May leads her final question time before tendering her resignation to the Queen at Buckingham Palace.
In a passionate victory speech, Mr Johnson said the government’s priorities under his leadership would be to “deliver Brexit, unite the country and defeat Jeremy Corbyn”.
“We are going to energise the country, get Brexit done, take advantage of all the opportunities it will bring in a new spirit of can-do, and we are once again going to believe in ourselves and what we can achieve,” he said.
“Like a slumbering giant, we are going to rise and ping off the ropes of self-doubt and negativity with better education, infrastructure, more fantastic, fantastic full-fibre Broadband, sprouting in every household.”
Ms May tweeted her congratulations to Mr Johnson on Tuesday night, adding that the party now needed to “work together to deliver a Brexit that works for the whole UK”.
The outgoing prime minister was forced to resign from the top job after failing to garner support for a deal outlining a path for Britain to leave the European Union.
UK Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn hit back at Mr Johnson’s victory, tweeting that he had “won the support of fewer than 100,000 unrepresentative Conservative Party members by promising tax cuts for the richest, presenting himself as the bankers’ friend, and pushing for a damaging No Deal Brexit”.
“He hasn’t won the support of our country,” he said.
“The people of our country should decide who becomes the Prime Minister in a General Election.”
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Scott Morrison had nothing but praise for Mr Johnson’s victory, tweeting that the new leader “has a reputation for getting things done and making things happen”.
US President Donald Trump also tweeted congratulations to the new Conservative leader, announcing that Mr Johnson “will be great”.
Mr Johnson’s first challenge as prime minister will be negotiating a conclusion to the Brexit impasse with the 27 European Union leaders – but the new leader said he wasn’t concerned.
“Today at this pivotal moment in our history we again have to reconcile two sets of instincts, two noble sets of instincts, between the deep desire of friendship and free trade and mutual support in security and defence between Britain and our European partners, and the simultaneous desire – equally deep and heartfelt – for democratic self-government in this country,” he said.
“I read in my Financial Times this morning… that no incoming leader has ever faced such a daunting set of circumstances … Well, I look at you this morning and ask: Do you look daunted?
“I don’t think you look remotely daunted. I think we can do it and I think the people of this country are trusting in us to do it and we know that we will do it.
The former journalist has previously taken a hardline stance on Brexit and has promised to leave the EU by the twice-delayed October 31 deadline, with or without a deal.
In the lead up to the ballot, four ministers announced that they would quit the party if Mr Johnson was elected, in three cases citing his willingness to leave the EU without a deal.
More ministerial resignations are expected to follow.
Mr Johnson made his first bid for Downing Street in 2016 following former prime minister David Cameron’s resignation.
He’s known for being a gaffe-prone politician, most recently coming under fire for claiming that Islam has caused the Muslim world to be “centuries behind” the west.
In 2018, he was rebuked by Ms May for comparing women who wear burqas and niqabs to letterboxes and bank robbers.
Watch Mr Johnson’s full speech here.