UK politics has a busy weekend ahead as Boris Johnson resigns as MP

Revealing deep divisions in the ruling Conservative Party ahead of a general
election, former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson brought chaos to the political world
this Saturday after quitting Parliament with a blast at fellow lawmakers he accused
of ousting him in a “witch hunt”.

As opponents jeered, the government seemed to be trying to absorb the shock of
yet another Johnson earthquake, while his loyal supporters insisted he could still
make a comeback.

It comes less than a year after Johnson was forced to resign as prime minister. “At
least for now,” he mentioned in his resignation statement made Friday. But what
events led to one of Britain’s prominent ex-leader bringing an end to his 22-year-
long political career?

Let’s take you to the background.

Johnson resigned as an MP after being told he will be sanctioned for misleading the
Parliament over the controversial “partygate” scandal – referring to a number of
gatherings at 10 Downing Street during the coronavirus pandemic when socialising
was largely banned.

The former prime minister was among dozens of people penalised over late-night
boozy parties and similar gatherings.

Although he has admitted misleading the Parliament when he tried to assure
lawmakers that no rules had been broken, he said he didn’t do so deliberately,
genuinely believing the gatherings were legitimate work events.

But the Privileges Committee investigating Johnson see things differently. He
resigned after receiving a report from the committee, which has a majority
Conservative membership. The report is yet to be made public.

Johnson was prone to suspension from the House of Commons if the standards
committee found he had lied about the gatherings deliberately.

Determined to “drive me out of Parliament”

Calling the committee “a kangaroo court”, the British ex-leader said “their purpose”
has always been to find him guilty, irrespective of the facts.

Johnson is an erratic and charismatic political figure whose career has largely been
marked by scandals and comebacks. Britain’s exit from the EU brought him to the
top.

A champion of Brexit, Johnson led the Conservative Party to a massive victory in
2019 and took Britain out of the bloc the following year. But his career soon lured
numerous scandals over his judgement and ethics, eventually ending in his
resignation as prime minister in mid-2022.

Resigning was apparently not that bad a choice!

By quitting Parliament, Johnson gets to run for Parliament again in the future – as he
successfully avoided a potential suspension that could have seen him ousted from
his Commons seat by his constituents.

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His turbulent final months in 10 Downing Street saw Conservative poll ratings
significantly drop. The figures haven’t recovered yet. And opinion polls regularly put
the main opposition Labour Party 20 points or more ahead of the Tories.

Now the pressing question worldwide is will/can Boris Johnson make a comeback.
While some critics have cast doubts over the possibility, his supporters are
evidently looking for his return.