11 Nov 2011

Solomons Prime Minister resigns after sensing loss of public support

4:50 pm on 11 November 2011

The Solomon Islands prime minister Danny Philip resigned this morning because he felt they public was overwhelmingly against him.

Mr Philip resigned just before a vote of no confidence in his government was to be held.

He is now the head of a caretaker government with the governor general shortly to call for nominations for prime minister.

Our correspondent Koroi Hawkins says Mr Philip resigned because he felt that the nation was against him.

"That the public opinion was overwhelmingly against him and he decided that as a leader that he just had to resign for the people. But of course, it was a one-sided affair. You had the whole backbench on the opposition side full, and on the government side there were only about 19 MPs. So he could clearly see that it was no use going ahead with the motion of no confidence. But from his own mouth, he did it because he felt the public was against him."

That is our Honiara correspondent Koroi Hawkins