Resignation Speech - Notable Resignation Speeches

Notable Resignation Speeches

  • 1846 - UK Prime Minister Sir Robert Peel resigns following the repeal of the Corn Laws. Extracts from this speech.
  • 1936 - King Edward VIII abdicates the throne of the United Kingdom amidst controversy over his choice of partner. Text of the speech (in PDF).
  • 1974 - US President Richard Nixon's televised speech from the Oval Office in which he announced his resignation after the Watergate scandal. Text of the speech.
  • 1990 - UK Deputy Prime Minister Geoffrey Howe's speech to the British House of Commons which in part led to the Conservative Party leadership election which removed Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher from office. Text of the speech.
  • 1995 - British Prime Minister John Major resigns as Leader of the Conservative Party in order to contest a leadership election with the aim of silencing his internal critics and reasserting his authority. In his speech he famously told his opponents within to 'put up or shut up'. The gambit paid off, and Major was re-elected. Text of this speech.
  • 1999 - President of Russia Boris Yeltsin announces his unexpected resignation on 31 December 1999, to the world's surprise. Text of this speech.
  • 2003 - Former UK Foreign Secretary Robin Cook's speech to the British House of Commons resigning as Leader of the House, and attacking the Blair government's decision to go to war in Iraq. Text of this speech.
  • 2003 - British Secretary of State for International Development Clare Short, resigning over Government policy on Iraq. Text of this speech.
  • 2003 - Chairman of the British Broadcasting Corporation Gavyn Davies, resigning after the findings of the Hutton Inquiry into the BBC's reporting of the death of Dr David Kelly. Text of this statement.
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