Face of Nation : The new Conservative leader will take office on Wednesday afternoon following an audience with the Queen at Buckingham Palace.
After entering Downing Street, he is expected to announce a clutch of senior cabinet posts, including chancellor of the exchequer and home secretary. Sources close to Mr Johnson say his top team will reflect “modern Britain”.
He is expected to use the opportunity to increase the number of women in full cabinet positions and boost the representation of ethnic minorities. Mr Johnson won a decisive victory over Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt in a ballot of Tory members – gaining a 66.4% total share of the vote.
Conversations are said to be “ongoing” between Mr Hunt and Mr Johnson about the foreign secretary’s next role. Laura Kuenssberg said she understood Mr Johnson is resolute that Mr Hunt should not stay on at the Foreign Office.
However she added that Mr Hunt is firm that he won’t accept anything less than his current role, or becoming home secretary, chancellor or deputy prime minister.
He would consider other moves a demotion, she added. After his victory, Mr Johnson said his priorities were to deliver Brexit, unite the country and defeat Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.
He is expected to address the nation for the first time outside Downing Street at about 16:00 BST after accepting the Queen’s invitation to form a government. That will follow Theresa May formally giving her resignation as prime minister at Buckingham Palace.
Boris Johnson’s political inheritance has all the makings of a disaster. He has no Commons majority. There is no mandate from the general public – remember this election has only been decided by Tory members.
There are policy problems everywhere in sight, whether that’s trying to solve the conundrums of Brexit with a reluctant EU and a divided party, or trying to address deep-seated problems at home. And just as among his fans there is genuine excitement that he will, at last, be in Number 10, there is scepticism and disbelief from the opposition parties, and double-sided concerns in his own party.
