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'I am being forced out': Former UK PM Boris Johnson quits as MP

Johnson had been under investigation by a parliamentary inquiry looking into whether he misled the House of Commons about lockdown-breaking parties in Downing Street during the COVID-19 pandemic

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FP Staff|Jun 10, 2023, 15:22:32 IST

Fed up with lawmakers investigating his behaviour, former Prime Minister of Britain Boris Johnson abruptly stepped down from his parliamentary post in protest on Friday.Johnson had been under investigation by a parliamentary inquiry looking into whether he misled the House of Commons about lockdown-breaking parties in Downing Street during the COVID-19 pandemic.He has accused lawmakers involved in the investigation against him of acting like a "kangaroo court" with the aim of ending his political carrier."I am being forced out by a tiny handful of people, with no evidence to back up their assertions," an angry Johnson said in a statement.Parliament's privileges committee - the main disciplinary body for lawmakers - had the power to recommend Johnson be suspended from parliament. If the suspension is for more than 10 days, voters in his constituency could have demanded he stood for re-election to continue as their representative.However, the former PM has left some room open for speculation regarding his comeback as he declared that he was leaving parliament "for now.""I am not alone in thinking that a witch hunt is underway to take revenge for Brexit and ultimately to reverse the 2016 referendum result," he said. "My removal is the necessary first step, and I believe there has been a concerted attempt to bring it about."Johnson could not hold the seat of prime minister for long owing to the "partygate scandal" which caused a huge uproar among the citizens of UK.The investigation is chaired by a senior Labour Party lawmaker, but the majority of lawmakers on the committee are Conservatives.The Committee has announced that it will conclude its investigation on Monday and will publish its report soon. A spokesperson for the committee said Johnson had "impugned the integrity" of parliament with his resignation statement.With inputs from agenciesRead all the Latest NewsTrending NewsCricket NewsBollywood News,India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on FacebookTwitter and Instagram.

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First Published:Jun 10, 2023, 15:22:32 IST
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