Boris Johnson has announced he is standing down as an MP following a probe into whether he misled Parliament over the Partygate scandal.

The former Prime Minister will be quitting his seat of Uxbridge and South Ruislip, which he has held since May 2015, triggering a by-election.

The decision which has been announced this evening followed hot off the heels of Nadine Dorries also announcing she would be quitting as an MP for Mid Bedfordshire.

In a shock statement published this evening, Mr Johnson said he was "bewildered and appalled" at the Privileges Committee' investigation into his behaviour, claiming he was victim of an attack to "drive him out".

He said he had received a letter from the committee which is investigating whether he lied to MPs over Partygate “making it clear, much to my amazement, that they are determined to use the proceedings against me to drive me out of Parliament”.

In a written statement, he said: “I have today written to my association in Uxbridge and South Ruislip to say that I am stepping down forthwith and triggering an immediate by-election.”

“I am very sorry to leave my wonderful constituency. It has been a huge honour to serve them, both as mayor and MP.”

He added: “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, by a committee chaired and managed, by Harriet Harman, with such egregious bias.”

This live blog is now over. For updates on Boris Johnson, see our latest politics coverage here or follow our team on Twitter @MirrorPolitics.

Susie Beever

Have I Got News For You jokes on saga

Have I Got New For You has already joked it needs to start recording episodes on Fridays after tonight's drama.
This week’s episode of the topical panel show, hosted this week by comedian Harry Hill as host, was recorded on Thursday but screened at 9pm - an hour after Mr Johnson's resignation as an MP.
Shortly after the news, the show’s Twitter account wrote: “Perhaps we need to start recording the show on a Friday…”
Comedian Richard Osman, who has previously guest hosted the show, expressed sympathy with those involved.
“My thoughts and prayers with everyone who had to record ‘Have I Got News For You’ last night,” he said.

Susie Beever

How The Mirror broke the Partygate scandal

It was the scandal which marked the beginning of the end for Boris Johnson's career as Prime Minister.

On December 1, 2021 The Mirror broke the news that multiple boozy bashes had taken place at Number 10 while millions of us were locked down in our homes to control the spread of coronavirus.

Whilst Brits were unable to see dying loved ones, Boris Johnson have a speech to a packed leaving bash to celebrate an outgoing colleague in November 2020, and later a Christmas do with a festive quiz.

It was the first of several revelations of gatherings at Downing Street believed to have broken restrictions in place at the time, prompting Sue Gray's report and an enquiry.

Here's a recap of how it played out and what's happened since.

Boris Johnson will a drink in his hand at a party during lockdown (
Image:
ITV NEWS)
Ryan Merrifield

Osborne trolls Brexit rival Johnson

Former Tory Chancellor George Osborne has trolled Boris Johnson with a simple tweet following his resignation as an MP.

He wrote: "What a lovely evening."

Osborne has previously accused Johnson of trying to "bring down" Rishi Sunak so he could step back into No10.

He was forced out of No11 himself when the Brexit campaign, led by Johnson, triumped in 2016, resulting in then PM David Cameron's resignation.

Ryan Merrifield

MPs quickly squabbling on social media of Johnson resignation

MPs quickly began squabbling on social media after Boris Johnson's resignation, with one Conservative calling a Labour MP a "traitorous twerp".

Christian Wakeford, who caused shock when he defected from Tory to Labour in 2022, tweeted "Goodbye @BorisJohnson I can't say you'll be missed much."

He was met with a furious response from Tory MP for Workington, Mark Jenkinson, who replied: "You literally owe your seat to him you traitorous twerp."

Labour MP for Hull East, Karl Turner, replied: "Stop crying Mark lad" before tweeting "Was going to watch ?@haveigotnews? but I'm just going to stay tuned into the complete and utter collapse of ?@Conservatives?."

Ryan Merrifield

Have I Got News For You jokes about Johnson's resignation

Topical news comedy show Have I Got New For You has joked it needs to start recording episodes on Fridays, after Boris Johnson's surprise resignation as an MP.

This week's episode featured comedian Harry Hill as host - his first ever appearance on the show - and was recorded on Thursday.

The former PM announced on Friday he would be stepping down as an MP after accusing a Commons investigation into whether he misled Parliament over partygate of attempting to "drive me out".

The announcement came shortly after 8pm, with Have I Got New For You set to air at 9pm.

Shortly after the news, the show's Twitter account wrote: "Perhaps we need to start recording the show on a Friday..."

Comedian Richard Osman, who has previously guest hosted the show, expressed sympathy with those involved.

"My thoughts and prayers with everyone who had to record 'Have I Got News For You' last night," he said.

Friday's episode saw Hill joined by comedian Jack Dee and editor-in-chief of Vice UK Zing Tsjeng, alongside regular team captains Ian Hislop and Paul Merton.

It followed a week of major news stories, including the fallout from Phillip Schofield's secret, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's US trip, and the Duke of Sussex's legal battle with the owners of the Daily Mirror.

Last year, the final regular episode of rival topical new programme Mock The Week aired amid similar political chaos in the UK.

The episode, which was aired after 17 years and 21 series, was not re-recorded despite the subsequent resignation of former prime minister Liz Truss.

Following the news about Ms Truss's exit from Downing Street, the show's official Twitter account tweeted: "I know there are bigger ramifications to the Prime Minister resigning but that has really messed up Mock the Week this week."

Comedian Angela Barnes added: "Liz Truss has done some terrible things, but resigning the day after we record the last ever episode of Mock The Week is up there."

Ian Hislop (
Image:
BBC)
Susie Beever

Will he stand in Nadine Dorries' vacated seat?

There's been talk over whether Mr Johnson will move to stand as a candidate for the Mid Bedfordshire seat now his political ally Nadine Dorries has resigned.

His spokesperson declined to comment on the rumours earlier this evening, but the disgraced former PM has already hinted at a return and hasn't ruled out a comeback in Nadine's constituency.

Read more on this here.

Boris Johnson and Nadine Dorries (
Image:
nadinedorries/Instagram)
Susie Beever

Mr Johnson a 'Titan amongst minnows' - Tory MP

Not everyone has been in agreement over Boris' resignation, though.

Sir James Duddridge, former banker and Tory MP for Rochford and Southend East has insisted this isn't the end for Mr Johnson's career in politics and has hailed his achievements during his time in office.

Susie Beever

Deputy Labour leader delivers scathing criticism of 'never ending Tory soap opera'

Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner said: “The British public are sick to the back teeth of this never ending Tory soap opera played out at their expense.

“After 13 years of Conservative chaos, enough is enough.

“It’s time to turn the page with a fresh start for Britain with a Labour Government focused on the people’s priorities of tackling the cost of living crisis and building a better future.”

Labour Party deputy leader Angela Rayner (
Image:
AFP via Getty Images)
Susie Beever

Johnson and Dorries axed from Tory WhatsApp chat

Their resignations came within hours of one another, and now both Mr Johnson and Nadine Dorries - seen as one of his closest allies - have both been removed from a Conservative Party WhatsApp group.

This screenshot was shared by The Guardian political correspondent Aubrey Allegretti.

Susie Beever

Resignation statement in FULL

Here is the full statement released by Mr Johnson this evening after announcing he'll be standing down at Tory MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip - a seat he's held for just over eight years.

The full statement is more than 1,000 words - you can read it here.

Boris Johnson resigns as MP after stinging attack on Rishi Sunak (
Image:
Photo by Xander Heinl/Photothek via Getty Images)
KEY EVENT

Johnson uses resignation statement to deliver stinging attack on Sunak

Boris Johnson has used his resignation statement to deliver a stinging attack on Rishi Sunak’s Government in a bid to his loyal followers.

“When I left office last year the government was only a handful of points behind in the polls. That gap has now massively widened,” Mr Johnson said on Friday evening.

“Just a few years after winning the biggest majority in almost half a century, that majority is now clearly at risk. Our party needs urgently to recapture its sense of momentum and its belief in what this country can do.

“We need to show how we are making the most of Brexit and we need in the next months to be setting out a pro-growth and pro-investment agenda. We need to cut business and personal taxes – and not just as pre-election gimmicks – rather than endlessly putting them up. We must not be afraid to be a properly Conservative government.

“Why have we so passively abandoned the prospect of a Free Trade Deal with the US? Why have we junked measures to help people into housing or to scrap EU directives or to promote animal welfare?

“We need to deliver on the 2019 manifesto, which was endorsed by 14 million people. We should remember that more than 17 million voted for Brexit."

Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak (
Image:
AFP via Getty Images)