Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on Friday that he is stepping down as an MP for defrauding Parliament.
The Associated Press reported that Johnson resigned after receiving the results of a parliamentary inquiry into false statements he made to parliament when he repeatedly said all hygiene restrictions were respected in Downing Street during the pandemic.
In a statement, the former British prime minister insisted the commission of inquiry had “made it clear” in a letter that the House of Commons (the lower house of parliament) was preparing to oust him as a Conservative deputy.
Johnson, who was forced to resign in the summer after a series of scandals over Downing Street parties breaching anti-Covid-19 rules, remained an MP.
“It’s sad to be leaving Parliament – at least for now – but most of all I’m shocked and horrified to have been undemocratically ousted by a group led and led. [trabalhista] Harriet Harman, with such blatant bias,” he said.
The committee was expected to issue its report in the coming weeks, and Johnson could face suspension from the House of Commons if found to have deliberately lied.
In a lengthy statement of resignation, Johnson accused the commission of inquiry of trying to convict him “from the outset” and “regardless of the facts”.
The resignation will trigger a special election to replace Johnson as an MP for the London suburb.
Boris Johnson, whose career has been a rollercoaster of scandals and upheavals, led the Conservatives to a landslide victory in 2019 but was ousted by his own party less than three years later.