Boris Johnson branded ‘coward’ for quitting as MP earlier than partygate findings revealed

Boris Johnson has been branded a “coward” and a “disgrace” for quitting as an MP earlier than the findings of a parliament investigation into whether or not he lied to MPs about partygate have been revealed.

Members of the opposition lined as much as criticise the previous prime minister, who took goal on the Commons privileges committee in a blistering 1,000-word statement as he resigned on Friday.

Mr Johnson claimed the cross-party group, which has a Tory majority, have been “determined to find him guilty” of deceptive parliament and claimed a “witch hunt” was underneath strategy to take revenge for Brexit.

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But Angela Rayner, Labour’s deputy chief, mentioned the previous prime minister had “jumped” to keep away from dealing with a probably humiliating by-election in his marginal Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituency.

“I think Boris Johnson has shown himself to be a coward once more,” she instructed Sky News.

“He’s a man that can never hold his hands up to what he’s done. And I think he’s an absolute disgrace.”

Ms Rayner identified that the Commons get to vote on any really helpful suspension from the privileges committee and, if 10 days or extra is agreed, Mr Johnson’s constituents would then get a say if there ought to by a by-election.

She mentioned Mr Johnson had chosen to “dodge all of that because he knows he’s not going get through that process, because it is clear he misled parliament”.

“He’s had a fair hearing. He’s chose to run off and cower away from responsibility of what he’s done,” she added.

“Nobody made him party during lockdown. He knows full well what he should and shouldn’t have been doing. And he let the public down in the most disgraceful way.”

The committee has been investigating whether or not Mr Johnson lied to the Commons when he mentioned that COVID guidelines have been adopted in Downing Street following experiences that lockdown-busting events have been held through the pandemic.

It was reportedly getting ready to advocate a 10-day suspension from the Commons, a conclusion which, if MPs voted for it, would have resulted in a recall petition amongst his constituents and a possible by-election in his west London constituency if greater than 10% supported one.

Will Walden, a former spokesman for Boris Johnson, mentioned his outdated boss had “seen the writing on the wall” that he might be ousted and known as his exit “very Trumpian”.

“Boris hates the comparisons with Trump, but it is the language of vendetta,” he mentioned of Mr Johnson’s assertion. “It’s a long rant, and frankly, it’s deeply misleading in places. But it’s very Boris.”

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Chris Bryant, the Labour chair of the privileges committee who recused himself from the Johnson investigation, mentioned the previous prime minister might be levelled with a brand new contempt of parliament cost after his “narcissistic rant”.

“He’s been so cowardly that he’s not prepared to face the music in the House of Commons,” he added.

The privileges inquiry is because of meet on Monday to finalise its conclusions and is predicted to publish its report “promptly”.

In an announcement launched by the committee on Friday evening, a spokesman mentioned Mr Johnson had “impugned the integrity” of the Commons along with his assault.

Mr Johnson mentioned he was “bewildered and appalled” at being “forced out, anti-democratically” by a probe that he claimed had set out from the start to “find me guilty, regardless of the facts”.

His resignation means Rishi Sunak now faces the prospect of two by-elections, with Nadine Dorries – one among Mr Johnson’s closest allies – additionally saying on Friday that she was vacating her seat effective immediately.

The two primary opposition events have vowed to battle onerous to win the seats – however the Lib Dems insisted on Saturday there could be no pact with Labour to oust the Tories.

Lib Dem chief Sir Ed Davey mentioned: “There’ll be no pacts, no deals. We will fight both by-elections. Voters will make the decision.”