Rishi Sunak by-election dilemma as Nigel Adams follows Boris in resigning with ‘immediate effect’

Nigel Adams, the Conservative Party chairman, announced that he is following the lead of Boris Johnson to stand down as an MP.

Jonhson quit his position as the MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip last night, Friday, June 9. The former Prime Minister faced a potential suspension from the House of Commons after the Privileges Committee investigating the Partygate scandal found him guilty of misleading Parliament.

As a result, Rishi Sunak faces the dilemma of by-elections having to be held. These will take place in Boris’ constituency, along with Selby and Ainsty where Adams was the MP.

To compound matters for the current PM, Nadine Dorries also quit as MP for Mid Bedfordshire after being overlooked in Boris Johnson’s resignation honours list. Her action means Sunak has a third by-election to contend with.

Adams – known as Johnson’s ‘Mr Fix-it’ – resigned from his post with ‘immediate effect’. He had previously stated his intention to quit when the next general election took place in Britain.

He tweeted: “Yesterday, Selby Conservatives selected an excellent new parliamentary candidate. I’ve today informed the chief whip that I will be standing down as a Member of Parliament with immediate effect.”

“It has been an honour to represent the area where I was raised, educated and want to thank my constituents for their wonderful support since 2010,” he continued.

I want to thank my constituents for their wonderful support since 2010.

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— Nigel Adams 🇬🇧 (@nadams) June 10, 2023

Boris released a 1000-word statement

After his resignation, Boris Johnson released a 1000-word statement. In it, he claimed there was a: “witch-hunt underway, to take revenge for Brexit and ultimately to reverse the 2016 referendum result”.

“Their purpose from the beginning has been to find me guilty, regardless of the facts. This is the very definition of a kangaroo court,” he said of the Privileges Committee.

He also accused Sunak and his cabinet of not following through on pledges made to the British public after the Tory party’s 2019 election victory, insisting that the PM was ‘passively abandoning’ them.

His decision to resign as an MP was met with derision by Angela Rayner, the Labour Deputy-leader. “To me, he is a coward,” she told the Today programme on BBC Radio 4.

In a tweet, accompanied by a video, she wrote: “Boris Johnson’s got no one to blame for his demise but himself. Rather than face the music, he’s thrown his toys out of the pram. While the Conservatives ignore the voters, Labour is focused on the people’s priorities and fighting to secure a better future for Britain.”

Boris Johnson’s got no one to blame for his demise but himself. Rather than face the music, he’s thrown his toys out of the pram.

While the Conservatives ignore the voters, Labour is focused on the people’s priorities and fighting to secure a better future for Britain. pic.twitter.com/QW7pcz3HEt

— Angela Rayner 🌹 (@AngelaRayner) June 10, 2023

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