Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced Friday night to hand over his mandate as an MP, invoking the parliamentary inquiry into "partygate", the parties held in Downing Street in violation of health restrictions related to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Boris Johnson, 58, has indicated that his decision is effective immediately, triggering a by-election that will add some more political pressure on his successor Rishi Sunak. A year ago almost to the day, the former mayor of London announced that he was stepping down as leader of the Conservative Party and, indeed, his duties.
'Blatant bias'
A year after being driven out of Downing Street by his majority after three years in power marked by a succession of scandals, Boris Johnson remained under a parliamentary inquiry to determine whether he had deceived Parliament in the "partygate" affair. The procedure, conducted by the Committee on Privileges, is in the process of finishing its work and had just submitted its conclusions to the former leader according to the British press.
"I have received a letter from the Privilege Committee which makes it clear – to my astonishment – that they are determined to use the procedure against me to drive me out of Parliament," the former Conservative prime minister wrote in a statement. "I am very sad to leave Parliament - at least for now - but I am especially appalled that I was forced to leave, in an undemocratic way," he added, accusing the committee of "blatant bias". In the statement, he accused the commission of producing a report that has not yet been published, "riddled with inaccuracies and prejudices," without giving it "any formal opportunity to challenge what they say."
The "list of honours" made public
After leaving Downing Street, British heads of government draw up a "roll of honours", with the names of people they wish to see knighted or elevated to the House of Lords. This list was then studied by a government committee and then by Downing Street. Just before the announcement of his decision, the "list of honours" of the former British Conservative Prime Minister was published on Friday, with distinctions granted to his Brexit allies, a hairdresser, but not to his father.
On the other hand, Priti Patel, former Home Secretary and loyal to Boris Johnson for Brexit, becomes "Lady". Jacob Rees-Mogg, leader of a group of very Eurosceptic Conservative MPs, becomes "Sir". Kelly Dodge, a hairdresser in Parliament, is on the list of awards for advisers, speechwriters and personal assistants.
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