Boris Johnson has been officially elected the United Kingdom's new prime minister after he defeated his fellow conservative Jeremy Hunt by a comfortable margin of 92,153 votes to Hunt's 46,656. The former mayor of London takes over for current Prime Minister Theresa May on Wednesday.
During a victory speech held at the Queen Elizabeth II center in London, Johnson said that he intends to "deliver Brexit, unite the country and defeat Jeremy Corbyn."
"We are going to get Brexit done on 31 October and take advantage of all the opportunities it will bring with a new spirit of can do," Johnson added. "We are once again going to believe in ourselves, and like some slumbering giant we are going to rise and ping off the guy ropes of self doubt and negativity."
May announced her resignation in an emotional address on May 24 from a podium set up outside 10 Downing Street. She took over for Prime Minister David Cameron three years ago in 2016 shortly after the nation voted to leave the European Union in a deal known as 'Brexit.'
"I tried three times. I believe it was right to persevere, even when the odds against success seemed high. But it is now clear to me that it is in the best interests of the country for a new Prime Minister to lead that effort," May said.
It'll now be up to Johnson on how Britain will leave the European Union, which is scheduled to occur on Oct. 31 following an extension by the EU to the original leave date.
President Donald Trump was among the first world leaders to congratulate Johnson, writing in a Tweet that: "He will be great!"
Hunt, who serves as the Foreign Secretary, said he was disappointed by the result of the election, but that he was confident that Johnson would do a "great job" and that he had "total, unshakable confidence in our country."
"It was always going to be uphill for us because I was someone who voted Remain and I think lots of party members felt that this was a moment when you just had to have someone who voted for Brexit in the referendum," Hunt added.
"In retrospect, that was a hurdle we were never able to overcome."
Johnson will announce a new cabinet once he has been officially invited to form a government by the Queen on Wednesday.
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