Mr Johnson has left the door open for a possible return to the House of Commons. Photo: Finnbarr Webster
In a statement, Mr Johnson said the Privilege Committee «was determined to use the legal proceedings against me to expel me from Parliament.»
«They still haven't presented not the slightest evidence that I knowingly or recklessly misled the House of Commons,” he said. He added: “Their goal from the very beginning was to find me guilty, regardless of facts. This is the very definition of a kangaroo court.”
The Privilege Committee wrote a «warning letter» to Mr Johnson earlier this week outlining how he intended to criticize him in its final report.
Clearly, the committee recommended a suspension of more than 10 days, meaning that a recall petition involving a by-election would be possible.
The committee is investigating whether he misled Parliament when he told MPs that there were no parties in Downing Street, dedicated to blocking.
Partgate: Investigative Committee
Mr Johnson's action will create hardship for the Tories in the marginal Uxbridge and South Ruislip by-election.
His 8 p.m. announcement came just hours after Nadine Dorries, former minister of culture, resigned and provoked a by-election in Middle Bedfordshire after the peerage she thought she was getting was blocked.
Honors Mr Johnson's resignation The list, in which he promoted seven of his friends and close political allies to the House of Lords, was released just hours before he announced his resignation.
His shocking departure means that one of the Conservative Party's biggest figures of the past two decades is leaving frontline politics.
Attacking the direction in which Mr. Sunak has taken the party, Mr. Johnson said, “our party must urgently regain its sense momentum and my belief in what this country can do.
“We need to show how we are making the most of Brexit, and we need to set off an agenda focused on growth and investment in the coming months. We need to cut taxes on businesses and individuals—and not just as election gimmicks—not endlessly.
“We shouldn’t be afraid to be a truly conservative government.”
He accused Mr. Sunak of «passively giving up the prospect of a free trade agreement with the US» and asked: «Why have we given up measures to help people with housing, repeal EU directives, or promote animal welfare?
“We need to fulfill the 2019 manifesto, which was supported by 14 million people. We must remember that more than 17 million people voted for Brexit,” he said. about alleged parties at number 10 during the lockdown. Pictured: November 13, 2020 meetingHe also accused Harriet Harman, chairman of the privileges committee, of «already making deeply biased remarks about my guilt before they even saw the evidence», saying she should have recused herself. .
He said he naively believed a trial could be fair, adding that the same belief in fairness led him to have Sue Gray investigate his conduct.
“Obviously my faith was misplaced. Of course, the Labor Party, the Liberal Democrats and the SNP are happy to do everything possible to expel me from Parliament,” he added.
“Unfortunately, as we saw last July, some MPs are currently -conservatives share this point of view. I am not alone in thinking that there is a witch hunt going on to avenge Brexit and ultimately overturn the results of the 2016 referendum.
“My suspension is a necessary first step and I believe there has been a concerted effort to achieve this. I'm afraid I no longer believe it's any coincidence that Sue Gray, who investigated the gatherings at No. 10, is now appointed Labor leader's chief of staff.»
Mr Johnson was elected for the first time . House of Commons as MP for Henley in 2001, along with David Cameron and George Osborne, as part of the new generation of Tories.
He later served two terms as mayor of London, winning in the traditional Labor capital, before returning to Parliament in his seats in Uxbridge and South Ruislip in the 2015 general election.
On Friday. , former Home Secretary Priti Patel told The Telegraph: «Boris Johnson has served our country and his constituents well.»
«He led the world in supporting Ukraine and protecting our values, he achieved Brexit and ensured the success of the Conservative Party , not seen since the time of Margaret Thatcher.
«Boris is a political titan whose legacy will stand the test of time.»
Johnson served two terms as Mayor of London. Photo: Kois Mia
Mr Johnson has been hailed as one of the most influential prime ministers of recent decades because of his central role in securing Britain's exit from the European Union.
He was a figurehead in the referendum campaign to leave 2016, when the country voted for Brexit and then won the Downing Street exit on January 31, 2020.
Johnson's three-year term at Downing Street — took office in July 2019 and retired in September 2022. This was abandoned after a wave of ministerial resignations.
The news is complicated by the fact that Mr Johnson has long been rumored to be considering changing constituencies, given that he was in danger of being defeated by a narrow majority in Uxbridge .
While his announcement suggests he may return to parliament, it is unclear how and when that will happen. A general election must be held before the end of next year, with little time left to turn around.
Any attempt to be elected as a Tory candidate to another seat could be complicated by his tense position. relationship with Rishi Sunak, the prime minister who left Johnson's cabinet, prompting his downfall.
Mr Johnson added to the Prime Minister's calls to change his economic policy and implement tax cuts quickly. Photo: Dan Kitwood.
Announcing his resignation, Mr. Johnson said: «Today I wrote to my association in Uxbridge and South Ruislip to announce that I am resigning immediately and initiating an immediate by-election.
» It is very sad to leave Parliament — at least for now — but what I am most baffled and appalled at is that I could be ousted anti-democratically by a committee led and run by Harriet Harman with such blatant prejudice.
He added: «I didn't lie, and I trust that the committee knows this deep down.
«But they deliberately chose to ignore the truth, because from the very beginning their goal was not to find out the truth or to really understand what was on my mind when I spoke in the House of Commons.”
Mr. Johnson maintained his innocence against partygate, saying: «I have received a letter from the Committee of Privileges making it clear — to my great amazement — that they are determined to use the legal proceedings against me to expel me from Parliament.»< /p >
«They still haven't produced the slightest evidence that I knowingly or recklessly misled the House of Commons.»
“They know very well that when I spoke in the House of Commons, I said what I sincerely believed, and what I was instructed to say, like any other minister. They know that I corrected the entry as soon as possible; and they know that I and all the other senior officials and ministers, including the current prime minister and then occupant of the same building, Rishi Sunak, believed that we were working together legally.”
He added: “ I am now being kicked out of Parliament by a tiny handful of people, with no evidence to support their claims, and without the approval of even members of the Conservative Party, let alone the wider electorate.
«I believe a dangerous and a disturbing precedent.»
«After 13 years of conservative chaos, that's enough»
Angela Rayner, Deputy Labor Leader and Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, said: «The British public is fed up with this endless Tory soap opera played out at their expense.
«After 13 years of conservative chaos, that's enough. It's time to turn the page with a new start for the UK with a Labor government focused on people's priorities to overcome the cost of living crisis and build a better future.»
Report on whether Johnson has misled MPs over partygate now due to be published next week and the dates will be rescheduled after his statement.
A privileges committee spokesman said: “The committee has always followed the procedures and mandate of the House of Representatives and will continue to do so. Mr. Johnson walked away from the House process and questioned the integrity of the House with his statement. The committee will meet on Monday to complete its investigation and release its report promptly.”
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