After his resignation as MP, former British Prime Minister Johnson spoke of a “witch hunt” – and massively attacked his own party. What is he up to?
The breaking news of Boris Johnson’s resignation as MP burst live into a live political discussion program on BBC Radio 4. And studio audiences spontaneously cheered.
The former Prime Minister had been informed of the results of a parliamentary inquiry the previous day. Johnson has been accused of lying to Parliament about illegal lockdown parties at Downing Street, the seat of government.
Suspension recommended
British media reports the committee found misdirection and recommended a suspension from the House of Commons for 10 days or more.
As a result, Johnson could have lost his seat in a by-election. With his resignation, he forestalled a vote on the suspension in Parliament.
Pollster John Curtice said on the BBC the finding was not new to the public. 85 percent of Britons believe that Johnson lied about Partygate. “It’s amazing that the committee of inquiry took so long to do this. His political career was over long ago – now it’s finally over.”
Johnson responded with an angry statement. He was pushed out of Parliament in an “anti-democratic manner” without a single piece of evidence. “They intended from the start to find me guilty, regardless of the facts, this is a corrupt court,” he wrote. “I’m not the only one who thinks there’s a witch hunt going on here to avenge Brexit.”
Report to be published “promptly”.
Although a Labor MP chairs the committee, it is made up of mostly Conservative politicians and a number of Brexit hardliners. It is unprecedented for a former prime minister to accuse a key parliamentary body like the Privileges Committee of such conspiracy tactics. A spokesman said Johnson questioned the integrity of MPs with his testimony. The report of the committee will be published “promptly”.
Johnson also attacked the incumbent Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak: When he left Downing Street in the summer of 2022, the Tories were only just behind the Labor opposition in polls. Now the gap has grown much larger. Johnson said he was very sad to have to leave Parliament, at least for the time being.
Rewarded with seats
Shortly before Johnson’s resignation, it became known that as the outgoing prime minister, he rewarded around 50 confidants, including employees who were affected by the “Partygate” affair, with seats in the upper house and royal honors. Rishi Sunak took months to approve the list. It was said that Johnson originally wanted to give almost twice as many people titles and offices. His father Stanley was also to be promoted to the House of Lords.
With his spectacular withdrawal and the massive allegations against parliament and his own party, Johnson has made the trench warfare within the conservatives visible again, says former conservative justice minister and Johnson critic David Gauke: “Johnson’s statement makes it clear that he has ambitions to come back,” he says. Johnson has done enormous damage to the party, and the Conservatives must now finally distance themselves from him. “Because instead of taking responsibility, he’s now making conspiracy myths à la Trump.”