Boris Johnson finally announced his resignation today admitting 'no-one is indispensable' - but is lining up a 'unity Cabinet' as he battles to stay in Downing Street for months longer.
In a statement in Downing Street, the PM tried to sound an upbeat tone as he confirmed his MPs 'clearly' want a change and his time in office will come to an end when a new Tory leader is installed.
Standing at the traditional podium and watched by wife Carrie, baby Romy and close aides, Mr Johnson said the situation was 'painful' and branded the move to oust him 'eccentric'.
But he pointed to his achievements since winning the huge landslide - such as the vaccine rollout, Brexit and coming to the aid of Ukraine.
He said his message to voters who delivered his 2019 landslide was 'thank you for that incredible mandate', adding the 'reason I have fought so hard' was because he felt it was his 'job' to deliver what he promised.
'I want you to know how sad I am to be giving up the best job in the world, but them's the breaks,' he said.
Mr Johnson blamed 'powerful herd instinct' for his ousting, saying: 'In the last few days, I tried to persuade my colleagues that it would be eccentric to change governments when we're delivering so much and when we have such a vast mandate and when we're actually only a handful of points behind in the polls, even in mid-term after quite a few months of pretty relentless sledging and when the economic scene is so difficult domestically and internationally.
'I regret not to have been successful in those arguments and of course it's painful not to be able to see through so many ideas and projects myself.
'But as we have seen at Westminster the herd instinct is powerful, when the herd moves, it moves.
'And my friends in politics, no one is remotely indispensable and our brilliant and Darwinian system will produce another leader, equally committed to taking this country forward through tough times.'
Mr Johnson paid tribute to his family for 'all they have put up with', in a nod to the succession of scandals that have blighted his premiership.
'Our future is golden,' he finished.