Thank you for contacting me following the news that Boris Johnson has taken the decision to resign after reading the findings of the cross-party investigation into whether he lied to the House of Commons. 

The privileges committee have now published their findings and rightly they have been totally damming. Once again Boris Johnson has run from his responsibilities and will do everything possible to avoid the consequences of his actions. His constituents have been abandoned without an elected representative, as he cowardly resigns out of pure self interest. 

I was shocked to read in his resignation letter, that Boris has continued his campaign to undermine and falsely accuse our valued institutions of corruption. The Privileges Committee operates under the most stringent checks and balances to ensure its impartiality. It is both dangerous and false to assert that their findings were in any way biased against the former Prime Minister. 

I also share your frustration that despite resigning as both Prime Minister and now as a Member of Parliament in disgrace, Boris Johnson’s honours list was approved. Especially as the list includes aids embroiled in the party gate scandal and almost included Boris Johnson’s own father.  These are not the actions of an individual who has any real remorse for his actions. 

I think it is important to note that neither Prime Minister Blair, nor Brown had resignation honours lists and this practice was reinstated by David Cameron. 

We should never forget that people across the country sacrificed seeing friends and family, attending weddings and funerals or even visiting loved ones during the pandemic. At the same time, Boris broke his own rules once again and didn’t have the conviction of character to fully admit to his own mistakes. I was horrified by the amount of misinformation and in some cases barefaced lies I saw presented as fact in Parliament. 

While I am incredibly relieved that our democratic institutions will no longer be tainted by Boris’s toxic conduct. The horrible reality is that the current Tory leadership are no better and have supported years of Government failure. They are equally responsible for the low growth, dismantling of our public services, rising crime and the cost of living crises we are all facing.

Rishi Sunak can try his best to distance himself from any responsibility, but time and again he stood with Boris through the law-breaking and the lies. Let us not forget that Sunak also received a fine and he could have rejected this honours list, but he refused to. 

There has never been a starker comparison of the character of our parties and leaders.

More than ever we need a proper change of Government and a fresh start. This will never be achieved by another reshuffle between the Tories. That is why I am joining my Labour colleagues in calling for a General Election.