The Guardian has a poster-style front page with an image of an “unrepentant” Johnson during his resignation speech and the headline “It’s (almost) over” in which the words in brackets have been reduced to a much smaller point size. Inside, Jonathan Freedland says Johnson’s toxic spell on Britain has been broken after the “born soft artist” was finally caught in his own lies. The Financial Times also highlights the outgoing leader’s “unapologetic” tone in their dive titled “Johnson resigns, defiant to the end”. But Robert Shrimsley’s front-page column says that despite the loss of MPs’ confidence, its historical significance is “indisputable”. The Mirror has an interesting claim that Johnson wants to stay on as Prime Minister to throw a “lavish” party at the long-written Checkers on July 30 to celebrate his wedding to Carrie last year. “We’re watching for one last party” reads the headline. The Times advocates “Johnson throws in the towel”, reporting that his resignation has sparked a “bloody leadership contest”. Columnist Iain Martin says Johnson’s chaotic reign in Downing Street leaves his successor with a “nightmare legacy”. The question of succession is front and center in the Telegraph, which warns from “senior Tories” that Johnson’s desire to continue until the autumn means the government will be paralyzed: “PM’s long goodbye leaves UK in ” state of paralysis”. The release of photographs by the Downing Street PR machine showing Johnson holding his young son Wilfred would have been intended to soften coverage of the resignation, but the Mail is doubling down with a hard-hitting dive about how Tory MPs will “hole the day” they forced their leader to leave. office. “What the hell have they done?” The front page fumes, claiming that Keir Starmer will be a “scumbag” and that champagne corks will be popped in Brussels and Moscow. It was, says the paper, “the day the Tories lost their marbles”. For the Express, it’s the day to remember the man who made Brexit happen. “Thank you Boris… you gave Britain back its freedom,” says the front page headline. The Sun uses the family image and also wants to remember what propelled Johnson to power. “Kiss goodbye,” reads the headline, adding below “… and thanks for Brexit.” “I’m going, I’m going… but it’s not gone,” says the Scotsman… … and Metro has “A license means a license”. i has a simple “Downfall” and says the Prime Minister was “humiliated” by having to resign in front of a large crowd in Downing Street. The Daily Record lists a long charge sheet against Johnson, including Partygate, the Pincher affair, the wallpaper row and “lie after lie” and concludes with its verdict: “Worst PM ever”
