'There is a witch hunt under way'....Boris Johnson's resignation statement in full as former PM lashes out

Boris Johnson has lashed out at those investigating 'partygate' in a blistering resignation statement. The former Prime Minister has dramatically quit as a Conservative MP tonight (June 9).

It comes as the Privileges Committee at the House of Commons is investigating whether Mr Johnson misled Parliament in his previous comments at the despatch box about whether he broke the rules on social distancing during the Covid pandemic. Mr Johnson has labelled the Committee as a 'kangaroo court' which he claims is trying to 'drive me out'.

He also wants the Privileges Committee investigation to come to an end. In a stinging attack, he insists the purpose of the inquiry has been to find him 'guilty, regardless of the facts'.

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The announcement comes on the same day Mr Johnson's resignation honours list was announced, following his spell as PM from 2019 to 2022. A by-election will now take place in Uxbridge and South Ruislip.

Here is the statement released by Mr Johnson in full

“I have received a letter from the Privileges Committee making it clear – much to my amazement – that they are determined to use the proceedings against me to drive me out of Parliament. They have still not produced a shred of evidence that I knowingly or recklessly misled the Commons.

“They know perfectly well that when I spoke in the Commons I was saying what I believed sincerely to be true and what I had been briefed to say, like any other minister. They know that I corrected the record as soon as possible; and they know that I and every other senior official and minister – including the current Prime Minister and then occupant of the same building, Rishi Sunak – believed that