Boris Johnson has resigned as an MP with immediate effect, triggering a by-election in his Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituency. The former Prime Minister said he was quitting parliament “at least for now” because he was “bewildered and appalled” at the Privileges Committee's investigation into him.

The Privileges Committee has been investigating whether Mr Johnson misled MPs when he assured them that Covid rules were followed in No 10 following allegations of lockdown-busting parties.

In a scathing attack, he accused the committee of producing a yet-to-be-published report “riddled with inaccuracies and reeking of prejudice” while providing him with “no formal ability to challenge anything they say”.

In a blistering statement on Friday evening Mr Johnson 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”.

Mr Johnson 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.

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Boris Johnson’s ‘sickening insult’ with honours list for ‘carousel of cronies’.

Former prime minister Boris Johnson has nominated close allies for knighthoods and damehoods in his resignation honours list.

Those put forward for a knighthood include former business secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg, former housing secretary Simon Clarke and MPs Conor Burns and Michael Fabricant. Former co-chairman of the Conservative Party Ben Elliot and William Lewis, a political adviser to Mr Johnson, are also in line to become knights bachelors.

Former home secretary Priti Patel has been nominated for a damehood, along with former ministers Andrea Jenkyns and Amanda Milling.

The deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner said: “Instead of tackling the cost-of-living crisis, the Tories are spending their time doling out rewards for those who tried to cover up rule-breaking and toadied to a disgraced former prime minister.”

“It’s a sickening insult that those who planned Covid parties and held boozy lockdown bashes while families were unable to mourn loved ones are now set to be handed gongs by Rishi Sunak,” she continued.