Mitch McConnell to step down as Republican leader in US Senate

Kentucky senator, 82, has been subject of speculation about his health and will step aside as minority leader in November

• Mitch McConnell announcement – follow live

Mitch McConnell of Kentucky will step down as Republican leader in the US Senate in November.

The 82-year-old, the longest-serving Senate leader in history and the subject of fierce speculation about his health after recent scares in public, announced the move in a speech on the Senate floor.