How Long Will Boris Johnson Last As UK Prime Minister?

Betting sites expect Boris Johnson to quit as UK prime minister without a fuss this September, with the latest odds suggesting he’s not about to deny the Tories a new leader when leaving No 10.

Johnson resigned his post earlier this summer after months of sleaze scandals finally convinced his cabinet to turn on him.

What started out as scrutiny over how the government tried to rewrite the Parliamentary rulebook to aid Owen Patterson became a full-blown scandal when Johnson’s lockdown gatherings were revealed. 

His oversight into appointing Chris Pincher as deputy chief whip despite sexual assault allegations was the final straw for many of his backers.

Johnson has said he will leave Downing Street after three years in charge when Parliament returns at the start of September.

His successor, either Liz Truss or Rishi Sunak, will then take over the reins once the Tory leadership contest comes to a conclusion.

Boris Johnson Odds

Political betting sites don’t expect any resistance from Johnson in his final days in office. In fact, they reckon there is now a 99% chance he walks in September.

Some may argue Johnson has already vacated his post. The PM has been on two summer holidays since he announced his resignation, during a time when the UK faces drought, an energy crisis and spiralling inflation.

The last few weeks have focused primarily on who will replace Johnson, with the next Tory leader odds suggesting Truss is on course to swoop on No 10.

Johnson has refused to act on the crises himself, instead insisting policy should be left to his successor - even though he remains PM.

It means the country is now waiting with bated breath on what the next prime minister will offer in terms of relief packages for those struggling with energy bills, and an economic plan to drive down inflation.

What Next For Johnson?

There is also plenty of speculation over what will Boris Johnson do next, now that he’s finally been ousted from the top job in politics.

Johnson has only ever really wanted to be PM, and his past posts as a backbench MP, London Mayor and even foreign secretary were all planned positions to help his rise to the top.

Now he’s lost the top job, Johnson is expected to try and keep his popularity among his support base high, while also making money. 

Going on tour as a speaker to packed out halls could prove lucrative, as would multi-million pound book deals.

There’s little suggestion that Johnson will remain in politics though. His successor - assuming it is Truss, who leads Sunak in the Tory leadership contest by some margin - is unlikely to offer the MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip a front-bench role.

Johnson has been able to boost his stock on the international political front by regularly meeting with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky - but his disastrous first stint as foreign secretary suggests he won’t be returned to that post.

Instead, a life outside of politics but firmly in the public eye is the most likely next step for the disgraced PM.

Johnson leaves with the country on the brink of an energy crisis, still squabbling over Brexit, and murmurs of a second Scottish independence referendum not too far away.