LONDON: Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is stepping down as MP with immediate effect, BBC reported on Friday.
Former UK PM Boris Johnson to step down as a Conservative MP with immediate effect after receiving Partygate report https://t.co/sJUtUKKqiZ
— BBC Breaking News (@BBCBreaking) June 9, 2023
He had been fighting for his political future with a parliamentary probe investigating whether the former PM misled the country’s parliament when he said all rules regarding COVID-19 were followed.
Ex-PM Boris Johnson Quits as MP
Parliament’s committee had the authority to recommend that Boris Johnson be suspended from the House of Commons for more than ten days if they were to convince the ex-PM did mislead parliament deliberately, possibly triggering an election for his seat, Reuters reported.
Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he has received a letter from the “committee making it clear — much to my shock — that they are strongminded to use the proceedings against me to drive me out of the country’s parliament.”
Johnson said in a statement that it was very sad to be leaving the House of Commons, “but above all, I am confused and shocked that I can be forced out.”
Boris Johnson, whose premiership was cut short in part by annoyance in his own political party and across the UK over COVID-19 rule-breaking lockdown gatherings in his office and house, accused the parliament’s committee of acting of being the “very meaning of a kangaroo court.”
He used his resignation statement to deliver an assault on PM Rishi Sunak’s premiership. He further said, “Our political party needs immediately to retaking its sense of momentum and its belief in what this state can do.”
