UK politics reels from shock of ex-PM Johnson's departure

Former British prime minister Boris Johnson's angry departure from parliament over Covid lockdown-breaking parties sparked fevered speculation Saturday over his and the current government's future, with allies and enemies trading barbs.

Johnson announced he was leaving as a member of parliament on Friday, claiming he had been forced out in a stitch-up by his political opponents.

One of Johnson’s allies quit earlier Friday, while another resigned on Saturday, triggering three by-elections for a government languishing in the polls and heaping pressure on current Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

The 58-year-old Johnson has been under investigation by a cross-party committee about whether he deliberately lied to parliament over parties when he was in office.

In evidence earlier this year, he insisted he had not.

But as the committee prepares to make public its findings, he said they had contacted him "making it clear... they are determined to use the proceedings against me to drive me out of parliament".

The Privileges Committee, which has a majority of MPs from his own Conservative party, has powers to impose sanctions for misleading parliament, including suspension.

By quitting, Johnson avoids the consequences of a humiliating fight to remain an MP in his Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituency in northwest London where he holds a slim majority of just over 7,000.

He denounced the committee, chaired by veteran opposition Labour MP Harriet Harman, as a "kangaroo court".

"It is very sad to be leaving Parliament -- at least for now -- but above all I am bewildered and appalled that I can be forced out, anti-democratically... with such egregious bias," he said.

He claimed the committee's report, which has not been published, was "riddled with inaccuracies and reeks of prejudice", adding he had "no formal ability to challenge anything they say".

Their "purpose from the beginning has been to find me guilty, regardless of the facts", he said.

Responding to the resignation, the Privileges Committee said Johnson "impugned the integrity of the House by his statement".

Johnson loyalist Nadine Dorries also quit as an MP on Friday, while fellow supporter Nigel Adams announced on Saturday that he was leaving, meaning current Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, whom Johnson partly blames for his downfall, faces three daunting election tests.

Johnson’s ability to generate strong feelings of admiration or hate was reflected in the reaction to his shock announcement.