UK Politics Reels From Shock Of Ex-PM Johnson's Departure

London, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 10th Jun, 2023 ) :Former British prime minister Boris Johnson's angry departure from parliament over Covid lockdown-breaking parties sparked fevered speculation Saturday over his and the current government's future, with allies and enemies trading barbs.

Johnson announced he was leaving as a member of parliament on Friday, claiming he had been forced out in a stitch-up by his political opponents.

The 58-year-old populist politician has been under investigation by a cross-party committee about whether he deliberately lied to parliament over parties when he was in office.

In evidence earlier this year, he insisted he had not.

But as the committee prepares to make public its findings, he said they had contacted him "making it clear.

.. they are determined to use the proceedings against me to drive me out of parliament".

The Privileges Committee, which has a majority of MPs from his own Conservative party, has powers to impose sanctions for misleading parliament, including suspension.

Ordinarily, suspension of more than 10 working days leads to a by-election in the MP's constituency.

By quitting, Johnson avoids the consequences of a humiliating fight to remain an MP in his Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituency in northwest London where he holds a slim majority of just over 7,000.

He denounced the committee, chaired by veteran opposition Labour MP Harriet Harman, as a "kangaroo court".