Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has resigned from his position as a Member of Parliament after receiving an advance copy of a report from the Privileges Committee.
The report assessed whether he had provided misleading information to Parliament regarding gatherings held at Downing Street during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Johnson maintained that the gatherings were justified as they constituted “essential” work events.
In a statement on Friday, Johnson asserted, “They have not presented any solid evidence that I knowingly or recklessly misled the Commons.”
He criticized the report for containing “numerous inaccuracies and displaying bias.”
Johnson faced accusations of misleading Parliament in relation to the scandal known as “Partygate.”
While admitting that his statements to MPs were misleading, he insisted that he genuinely believed them to be true based on the information he had received, similar to any other minister.
“It is disheartening to leave Parliament, at least for the time being. Above all, I am bewildered and appalled that I am being compelled to step down in an undemocratic manner,” Johnson expressed.
He claimed that the committee’s investigation was a pretext to seek revenge for Brexit and ultimately overturn the outcome of the 2016 referendum.
Johnson referred to the committee as a “kangaroo court” and maintained that the current prime minister at the time, Rishi Sunak, believed their collaboration was lawful.
In his statement, Johnson seemingly took a swipe at the current prime minister, saying, “When I left office last year, the government was only a few points behind in the polls.
Now, that gap has significantly widened.” He emphasized the urgent need for his party to regain momentum and renew its belief in the nation’s potential, especially after securing the largest majority in nearly 50 years just a few years ago.