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up front Friday 8 July 2022
One scandal too many: British PM Boris Johnson resigns

From Front noring it, so I was bit sur-
prised this morning when
Months of defiance end- saw it on my phone,” Him-
ed almost with a shrug as mat Dalyway, an invest-
Johnson stood outside No. ment trader in his 20s, said
10 Downing St. and con- outside an Underground
ceded that his party want- station in London. “Are you
ed him gone. still 100% sure that he is go-
“Them’s the breaks,” he ing?”
said. As Johnson gathered his
The brash, 58-year-old cobbled-together Cabinet
politician who took Britain for a meeting after his res-
out of the European Union ignation announcement,
and steered it through he promised not to rock
COVID-19 and the war in the boat in his remaining
Ukraine was brought down weeks. He told members
by one scandal too many the government would not
— this one involving his ap- “seek to implement new
pointment of a politician policies or make major
who had been accused of changes of direction.”
sexual misconduct. It was a humiliating defeat
The messiest of prime min- Prime Minister Boris Johnson enters 10 Downing Street, after reading a statement in London, for Johnson, who not only
isters did not leave cleanly. Thursday, July 7, 2022. Associated Press pulled off Brexit but was
Johnson stepped down im- also credited with rolling
mediately as Conservative on Thursday. half. Johnson said. “I regret not out one of the world’s most
Party leader but said he Among the possible candi- Johnson clung to power for to have been successful in successful mass vaccina-
would remain as prime min- dates to succeed Johnson: days, defiantly telling law- those arguments, and of tion campaigns to combat
ister until the party chooses former Health Secretary makers on Wednesday that course it’s painful not to COVID-19.
his successor. The timetable Sajid Javid, former Treasury he had a “colossal man- be able to see through so But the perpetually rum-
for that process will be an- chief Rishi Sunak, Foreign date” from the voters and many ideas and projects pled, shaggy-haired leader
nounced next week. The Secretary Liz Truss and De- intended to get on with the myself.’’ known for answering his
last leadership contest took fense Secretary Ben Wal- business of governing. He said it is “clearly now critics with bombast and
six weeks. lace. But he was forced to con- the will of the parliamen- bluster was also dogged by
But many want him to go About 50 Cabinet secre- cede defeat Thursday tary Conservative Party allegations he behaved as
now, with some Conserva- taries, ministers and lower- morning after one of his that there should be a new if the rules did not apply to
tive politicians expressing level officials quit the gov- closest allies, newly ap- leader of that party and him.
fear he could do mischief ernment over the past few pointed Treasury chief therefore a new prime min- He managed to remain
even as a caretaker prime days because of the latest Nadhim Zahawi, publicly ister.” in power despite accusa-
minister. scandal, often castigating told him to resign for the After Johnson’s repeated tions that he was too close
“It’s very difficult to see how the prime minister as lack- good of the country. ethical lapses and brushes to party donors, that he
Boris Johnson, given the ing integrity. “In the last few days, I tried with political ruin, many Brit- protected supporters from
character that he is, is go- The mass resignations to persuade my colleagues ons reacted to news of his bullying and corruption al-
ing to be able to govern for stalled the business of some that it would be eccentric departure with relief and legations, and that he mis-
three months in quiet hu- parliamentary committees to change governments surprise, given the way he led Parliament about gov-
mility and contrition,” said because there were no when we’re delivering so had hung on before. ernment office parties that
George Freeman, who re- ministers available to speak much and when we have “It felt like he can just keep broke COVID-19 lockdown
signed as science minister on the government’s be- such a vast mandate,” on going and keep on ig- rules.q

Mexico accuses ex-president of

millions in illegal funds

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mex- Manuel López Obrador Gomez said Thursday that
ico’s anti-money launder- made rooting out corrup- two companies run by
ing agency said Thursday tion the main theme of his Peña Nieto’s family had re-
it has accused ex-President presidency, but hadn’t yet ceived about $500 million
Enrique Peña Nieto of han- moved against any of his in government contracts
dling millions of dollars in predecessors. while he was president. He
possibly illegal funds, per- The criminal complaint filed did not identify the compa-
haps a signal from Presi- against Peña Nieto by the nies but said they were a
dent Andrés Manuel López government’s Financial sort of distribution firm, and
Obrador that he is getting Intelligence Unit does not the former president was a Mexico’s incoming President Enrique Pena Nieto of the
serious about his promise to mean prosecutors have yet shareholder. Institutional Revolution Party (PRI) wears the presidential sash
after being sworn-in at his inauguration ceremony before
pursue corruption. decided to file any formal Gomez also said Peña Ni- Congress in Mexico City, Dec. 1, 2012.
It marks the first formal legal charges. But the head of eto had received money Associated Press
accusations against Peña the unit, Pablo Gomez, said transfers from a relative,
Nieto, despite a cloud of al- federal prosecutors have apparently linked to the eto’s accounts and those Spain after leaving of-
legations about corruption received the complaint two companies, for about of the companies haven’t fice, and has not publicly
during his 2012-2018 admin- alleging use of illicit funds $1.3 million after leaving of- been blocked. commented on a series of
istration. President Andrés and are investigating it. fice. Gomez said Peña Ni- Peña Nieto moved to accusations.q