Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on Friday that he will step down as an MP, after he was told he would be punished for deceiving Parliament.
The Associated Press reports that Johnson resigned after receiving the results of a parliamentary inquiry into misleading statements he made to Parliament, when he repeatedly claimed that all health restrictions in Downing Street during the pandemic had been respected.
And the former British Prime Minister stressed, in a statement, that the investigation committee “made it clear” in a letter that it was preparing to expel him from his position as a Conservative deputy in the House of Commons (House of Representatives).
Johnson, who was forced to resign in the summer after a series of scandals, notably over Downing Street parties flouting anti-Covid-19 rules, remains an MP.
“It is very sad to leave Parliament – at least for the time being – but most of all I am shocked and horrified to have been undemocratically expelled by a committee he chairs and leads. [trabalhista] Harriet Harman with such blatant prejudice.”
The committee was expected to publish its report in the coming weeks, and Johnson could face suspension from the House of Commons if he is found to have knowingly lied.
In his long resignation statement, Johnson accused the inquiry of seeking to convict him “from the start” and “regardless of the facts”.
The resignation would trigger a special election to replace Johnson as an MP for a London suburban seat.
Boris Johnson, whose career has been riddled with scandal and turmoil, led the Conservatives to a landslide victory in 2019, only to be forced out by his party less than three years later.
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