Saturday, 10 June 2023 | PNS | DEHRADUN
In a sudden move, the former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has quit as a lawmaker, claiming he was the “victim of a witch-hunt”, after he was told that he had misled the Parliament over lockdown-breaking parties held at Downing Street during his premiership. He decided to resign as a Member of Parliament on receipt of a confidential letter from the Privileges Committee. He termed the Privileges Committee probe as “kangaroo court”.
The former Conservative Party leader said that the committee report had appalled him as he was accused of having lied to the lawmakers on a crucial matter known as ‘Partygate.’
He issued a statement, saying that no shred of evidence had been produced in support of the view that he had knowingly or recklessly misled the Commons.
Notably, the Metropolitan Police last year issued Johnson and then finance minister Rishi Sunak – who is currently the Prime Minister – with a fine for attending a gathering in Downing Street when the Covid-19 lockdown was in force. Importantly, Johnson was the first sitting UK Prime Minister to be found guilty of flouting the law.
Johnson, however, admitted in his evidence given to the Privileges Committee in March as having misled the Parliament but not on purpose.
