Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson resigned as a Member of Parliament on Friday (June 9). He claims that a parliamentary investigation into ‘partygate’ drove him out. Johnson, 58, announced his resignation with immediate effect, “triggering an immediate by-election” in his marginal seat, putting political pressure on his replacement Rishi Sunak.
Johnson had been battling a parliamentary inquiry into whether he misled parliament when he claimed that all Covid requirements were followed. The parliament’s privileges committee has the authority to expel Johnson from the chamber for more than 10 days if it determined that he had intentionally or recklessly deceived the chamber.
Johnson accuses privileges committee of driving him out of parliament
Johnson said he had received a letter from the “privileges committee making it clear – much to my amazement – that they are determined to use the proceedings against me to drive me out of parliament”.
“I am being forced out by a tiny handful of people, with no evidence to back up their assertions, and without approval even of Conservative party members let alone the wider electorate,” Johnson said in a statement.
“It is very sad to be leaving parliament – at least for now – but above all, I am bewildered and appalled that I can be forced out.”
Johnson’s reign was cut short in part owing to outrage within his own Conservative Party as well as across the country about parties in his Downing Street office and apartment that violated Covid rules. When the parties took place, much of the United Kingdom was under Covid lockdown. Johnson has accused the committee of being the “very definition of a kangaroo court”.
“Most members of the committee – especially the chair – had already expressed deeply prejudicial remarks about my guilt before they had even seen the evidence,” he said.
“In retrospect it was naive and trusting of me to think that these proceedings could be remotely useful or fair.”
Johnson’s statement came just hours after he controversially awarded his closest Brexit allies and staff implicated in the “partygate” incident in his PM resignation honors list. Nadine Dorries, Johnson’s former culture secretary, also announced her resignation as an MP with immediate effect.
The win in 2019
Johnson led the Conservative Party to an 80-seat majority in the 2019 federal election. He had run for office on a promise to “get Brexit done”. Johnson’s handling of the Covid epidemic, on the other hand, proved to be his doom. ‘Partygate,’ coupled with a slew of other scandals, sparked a ministerial revolt in July of last year. Johnson resigned as Prime Minister in September.