Government triggers by-election to replace Boris Johnson
A by-election to replace former PM Boris Johnson has been triggered following his resignation as an MP last week.
Some Labour MPs in the chamber cheered when Chief Whip Simon Hart issued the writ to replace Mr Johnson as member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip.
The announcement comes after a war of words between the current and former prime ministers erupted after Downing Street published Mr Johnson’s honours list on Friday, lacking the names of sitting MPs including former culture secretary Nadine Dorries and former minister Nigel Adams.
Hours later, Mr Johnson dramatically announced his Commons exit, as the Privileges Committee prepared to report that he lied to Parliament over partygate.
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Johnson loyalists Ms Dorries and Mr Adams also said they were standing down as MPs.
The former announcement has been met with bewilderment from Number 10 due in part to the fact that Ms Dorries is yet to formally resign.
Mr Sunak’s press secretary said: “It’s obviously unusual to have an MP say they will resign with immediate effect and for that not to take place.
“The prime minister believes the people of Mid Bedfordshire deserve proper representation in this House and he looks forward to campaigning for the Conservative candidate in the by-election.”
The delay in Ms Dorries' resignation could prolong the pain for the prime minister as he faces a battle to defend three Conservative seats at a time of dire polling as he publicly scraps with Mr Johnson.
Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader Daisy Cooper said that members of both Mr Johnson and Mr Adams former constituencies are 'sick to their back teeth' of Tory MP's 'taking areas for granted'.
She said: "Rishi Sunak and his chaotic Conservative government have let people down so badly, whether it's soaring mortgages and food prices or the crisis in our NHS.
"Liberal Democrats will be fighting for every vote in these by-elections, giving people a chance to back our fair deal and elect a strong local champion who will stand up for them."
The prime minister suggested his former boss wanted him to ignore the recommendations of the House of Lords Appointments Commission.
Mr Johnson said he was talking “rubbish” and his camp accused Mr Sunak of having “secretly blocked” the peerages of Ms Dorries and other allies.
Mr Johnson accused the Commons investigation into whether he mislead Parliament over partygate as move to "drive me out".
In a statement to the media on Friday, the former prime minister compared the Privileges Committee probe to a "kangaroo court".
He said, after receiving a letter from the committee, he believed it was "determined to use the proceedings against me to drive me out of Parliament".
Mr Hart also announced that a by-election had been triggered for Nigel Adams' former seat of Selby and Ainsty.Boris Johnson's resignation statement in full as he quits as MP
The by-election has to take place between 21 and 27 working days from the issuing of the writ.
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