Boris Johnson claimed he was the “victim of a witch-hunt” as he announced he was resigning as an MP, accusing a Commons investigation into whether he misled parliament over Partygate of attempting to drive him out.
The former prime minister compared the Privileges Committee probe to a “kangaroo court” as he quit.
Calling for the committee’s investigation to be ended, he said he believed it was “determined to use the proceedings against me to drive me out of parliament”.
But some saw his wording as a hint he would make a comeback and mount a leadership challenge to Rishi Sunak, at whom he also took a swipe.
“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, anti-democratically, by a committee chaired and managed, by Harriet Harman, with such egregious bias,” he said.
Chris Bryant, the Labour MP and chair of parliament’s standards committee, described Mr Johnson’s resignation as a “narcissistic rant”.
He also said Mr Johnson “effectively leaked” the inquiry’s findings and suggested he could be hit with a second contempt charge.
Johnson quits over probe into whether he misled parliament
Boris Johnson is resigning as an MP after accusing a Commons investigation into whether he misled Parliament over partygate of attempting to “drive me out”.
The former prime minister, in a statement to the media, compared the Privileges Committee probe to a “kangaroo court” as he announced his intention to step down as MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip.
He said, after receiving a letter from the committee, he believed it was “determined to use the proceedings against me to drive me out of Parliament”.
“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, anti-democratically, by a committee chaired and managed, by Harriet Harman, with such egregious bias,” he said.
The announcement, coming only hours after his resignation honours list had been published, means the Conservatives are likely to face a tough battle to hold onto the London seat at a by-election.
It was the second by-election triggered on Friday following former culture secretary Nadine Dorries’ decision to quit the Commons immediately, rather than wait until the next election.
We are resuming our earlier political coverage, which had been suspended.
Jane Dalton9 June 2023 20:37
Johnson is a ‘coward’ who ‘jumped’ – Rayner
Former prime minister Boris Johnson has been accused of being a “coward” by resigning before a Commons Partygate investigation into his comments is published.
Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner told BBC Radio 5 Live: “To me, he is a coward.
“He knows that the Privileges Committee has seen through this fiasco and he has jumped.
“He could have defended himself, he could have gone to his constituents and fought the suspension, and he has decided he is not going to do that because he knows he is in the wrong.
“And he has never apologised to what he has done to the British people… he has basically been gaslighting the nation, and I think he is a disgrace.”
Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner has promised to ban former ministers from lobbying the government for five years as part of a plan to improve transparency and uphold standards in public life. (Peter Byrne/PA)
(PA Wire)
Matt Mathers10 June 2023 08:21
Boris Johnson’s resignation letter – read it in full
Boris Johnson has sensationally resigned as an MP over an investigation into his conduct by the Privileges Committee.
The former prime minister claims he has been anti-democratically forced out of parliament, branding the probe a “hitjob”.
His full resignation statement is below:
Matt Mathers10 June 2023 07:45
Johnson could be hit with second contempt charge for behaviour in past 24 hours – Bryant
Boris Johnson could be hit with an additional contempt of parliament charge for his behaviour over the past 24 hours, the chair of the parliament’s standards committee has said.
The former prime minister announced his resignation last night and effectively pre-empted the findings of the Partygate inquiry, which he described as a “kangaroo court”.
Reports said the inquiry was due to find that he did mislead parliament over Partygate and recommend a lengthy suspension.
“They may want to conclude that there has been an additional contempt of parliament by the way that Boris Johnson has behaved in the past 24 hours,” Chris Bryant told BBC Radio 4.
“And the attacks on the committee…which are an attack on the whole house. I don’t think anybody can be in any doubt now that Boris Johnson holds parliament in contempt”.
(Parliament TV )
Matt Mathers10 June 2023 07:24
Partygate inquiry to be published ‘promptly’
A report into whether Boris Johnson misled MPs over his Partygate assurances will be published “promptly” after the former prime minister’s decision to dramatically quit the Commons.
The Commons Privileges Committee said the cross-party panel of MPs will meet on Monday to complete its inquiry.
It comes after Mr Johnson launched a blistering attack on the Conservative-majority committee, comparing it to a “kangaroo court” and a “witch hunt”, as he announced his intention to stand down as an MP and trigger an immediate by-election.
In a statement, a spokesman said: “The committee has followed the procedures and the mandate of the House at all times and will continue to do so.
“Mr Johnson has departed from the processes of the House and has impugned the integrity of the House by his statement.
“The committee will meet on Monday to conclude the inquiry and to publish its report promptly.”
(PA Wire)
Matt Mathers10 June 2023 07:14
Good morning and welcome to The Independent’s live politics coverage.
We’ll be covering Boris Johnson’s resignation and other stories from Westminster and elsewhere.
Stay tuned for all the latest updates.
Matt Mathers10 June 2023 07:11
‘Johnson should be angry with Tories who voted against him’
Mr Johnson’s rage is directed at committee chairwoman Harriet Harman, but she had a casting vote only if votes were tied, as chief political commentator John Rentoul points out. Four Tories on the committee went against him:
Jane Dalton10 June 2023 01:00
‘Self-serving and dishonest’
Shadow foreign secretary David Lammy tweeted a scathing assessment of Mr Johnson, hitting out at his alleged breach of Covid laws.
He tweeted: “Good riddance please to the most self-serving, venal, divisive and dishonest prime minister of my lifetime.
“You will forever be remembered as the prime minister who thought himself above the laws he created for everyone else.”
Jane Dalton10 June 2023 00:30
Johnson’s resignation honours ‘sickening insult’
Boris Johnson’s resignation honours list, released shortly before he announced he was stepping down, was branded a “sickening insult” to the bereaved after he gave honours to allies embroiled in the Partygate scandal, including one dubbed ‘party Marty’.
Martin Reynolds, his former principal private secretary who boasted “we seem to have got away with” the ‘bring your own booze’ garden party” during coronavirus restrictions, received a gong.
Jane Dalton10 June 2023 00:01
Priti Patel praises ‘political titan’
Mr Johnson’s home secretary Priti Patel said he had served his country and his constituency with distinction.
“He led world in supporting Ukraine, got Brexit done, and was our most electorally successful prime minister since Margaret Thatcher. Boris is a political titan whose legacy will stand the test of time,” she wrote.
Jane Dalton9 June 2023 23:30
