Sadiq Khan slams Boris Johnson resignation ‘psychodrama’ and Tory ‘circus’

Sadiq Khan has described as a “psychodrama” a turbulent few days for the Conservative Party following Boris Johnson’s resignation as MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip.

The former prime minister made his announcement on Friday evening (June 9), after receiving the report by the MP-led Privileges Committee, which has looked into whether he deliberately misled Parliament over lockdown-breaking parties at Downing Street.

In March, Mr Johnson told the committee he misled Parliament unknowingly. The report has not yet been made public, but it could have recommended a suspension significant enough to trigger a by-election.

Earlier on Friday the honours list drawn up on his resignation last year as prime minister was published, giving awards to some of his key allies. One person to miss out was Nadine Dorries MP, who has announced she will be standing down in Mid Bedfordshire constituency.

Tory MP Nigel Adams, who also missed out on any honour, confirmed his own resignation from Parliament on Saturday (June 10).

As a result of these resignations, by-elections have been triggered in Johnson’s west London constituency, Mid Bedfordshire and Selby and Ainsty.

Speaking to LondonWorld at London Tech Week, the mayor said: “I think this psychodrama over the last few days we’ve seen from the Conservative Party beggars belief at a time when people are facing a cost of living crisis, concerns around cuts in public service and real difficulty just making ends meet.

“You’ve got a government distracted by Johnson’s honours list, by various resignations and by-elections and this circus that’s taking place in Downing Street.”

He added: “I’ve met families heartbroken because of lives lost during the pandemic, some blaming the government because of their policies, when Johnson was Prime Minister.

“I’ve met families who couldn’t have funerals for their loved ones as they were following the  rules.They couldn’t have birthday parties or celebrations because they were following the rules.

“Now we discover Johnson was having parties in Downing Street and elsewhere. Now we think the Privileges Committee is going to say he lied in Parliament.”

MPs investigating whether Boris Johnson misled Parliament over lockdown-breaking gatherings are meeting today (Monday June 12) to finalise their report. It is due to be published in the coming days.

In a statement on Friday night, Johnson called the committee - chaired by Labour MP Harriet Harman - a “kangaroo court” and suggested it was trying to drive him out of Parliament partly in revenge for delivering Brexit.

Johnson went on: “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”.

The committee has rejected any allegations of bias. A spokesman said: “The committee has followed the procedures and the mandate of the House at all times and will continue to do so”.

“Mr Johnson has departed from the processes of the House and has impugned the integrity of the House by his statement”