The party is definitely over for Boris Johnson. Those held during the pandemic period cost him dearly: the former British Prime Minister announced Friday evening, June 9, handing over his mandate as an MP, invoking the parliamentary inquiry into "partygate", the parties held in Downing Street in violation of Covid-19 restrictions.
The 58-year-old former prime minister said his decision was effective immediately, triggering a by-election that adds even more political pressure on his successor Rishi Sunak.
A year after being driven out of Downing Street by his majority after three years in power marked by a succession of scandals, Boris Johnson remained under a parliamentary inquiry to determine whether he had misled Parliament in the "partygate" affair.
The procedure, conducted by the Committee on Privileges, is in the process of finishing its work and had just submitted its conclusions to the former leader according to the British press.
Bojo "sad"
"I have received a letter from the Privilege Committee which makes it clear – to my astonishment – that they are determined to use the procedure against me to drive me out of Parliament," the former tenant of 10 Downing Street wrote in a statement.
"I am very sad to leave Parliament – at least for now – but I am especially appalled that I was forced to leave, in an undemocratic way," he added, accusing the committee of "blatant bias".
In the statement, he accused the commission of having produced a report that has not yet been published, "riddled with inaccuracies and reeling from prejudice", without giving it "any formal opportunity to challenge what they say".
Boris Johnson was forced to resign in the summer of 2022 after a succession of scandals, but the charismatic leader, who was still an MP, remained very influential in the Conservative majority.
With AFP
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