In characteristically dramatic fashion, Boris Johnson let the world know he would be standing down as an MP by publishing a letter claiming he was the victim of a witch hunt and establishment stitch up. Ahead of the publication of a report looking at whether the former prime minister misled parliament over partygate, he went on the offensive against the committee that produced the document:
Their purpose from the beginning has been to find me guilty, regardless of the facts. This is the very definition of a kangaroo court.
Johnson’s anger is directed at the members of the House of Commons Committee of Privileges. Its role is to “consider matters relating to privilege”. When Johnson was accused of lying in parliament (either deliberately or inadvertently) over whether he participated in lockdown breaking events in Downing Street during the pandemic, and whether he knew about others breaking the rules, the House of Commons referred the accusation to this committee. Johnson repeatedly insisted that he did not know rules were being broken despite mounting evidence to the contrary.
