Former UK PM Boris Johnson quits as MP after learning he will be sanctioned over 'partygate'

Boris Johnson, the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, on Friday (June 9) shocked Britain by quitting as a lawmaker after being told he will be sanctioned for misleading Parliament. He departed with a ferocious tirade at his political opponents — and at his successor, Rishi Sunak — that could blast open tensions within the governing Conservative Party.

Johnson resigned after receiving the results of an investigation by lawmakers into misleading statements he made to Parliament about "partygate", a series of rule-breaking government parties during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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In his resignation statement, the former UK PM accused opponents of trying to drive him out — and hinted that his rollercoaster political career might not be over yet. "It is very sad to be leaving Parliament — at least for now," Johnson said.

The 58-year-old had said that he had "received a letter from the Privileges Committee making it clear — much to my amazement — that they are determined to use the proceedings against me to drive me out of Parliament."

He called the committee investigating him — which has members from both government and opposition parties — a "kangaroo court". "Their purpose from the beginning has been to find me guilty, regardless of the facts," Johnson said.

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Boris Johnson's resignation will trigger a special election to replace him as a lawmaker for a suburban London seat in the House of Commons. Johnson, whose career has seen a series of scandals and comebacks, led the Conservatives to a landslide victory in 2019 but was forced out by his own party less than three years later.

Johnson had been awaiting the outcome of an investigation by a House of Commons standards committee over misleading statements he made to Parliament about a slew of gatherings in government buildings in 2020 and 2021 that breached pandemic lockdown rules.

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