Friday 9 June 2023

pocket borough (10. 797)

Faced with a raft of sanctions from the House of Commons and possible suspension for scores of violations against his government‘s own Covid socialization protocols (much like the rank hypocrisy of Trump’s attack on leaks and Hilary Clinton’s private server) for multiple raucous and boozy gatherings, lockdown antics and “Wine Time Fridays,” the outcome of a lengthy investigation into Partygate and his role in the behaviour in flaunting isolation rules, former Prime Minister and sitting MP for the constituency of Uxbridge and South Ruislip Boris Johnson abruptly announced that he will leave Parliament with immediate effect, spurring a byelection in his former suburban London district. Releasing a bitter and recriminating resignation letter which could carry in itself further charges of contempt for its inveighing further attacks against the Privilege Committee, which concluded that he misled Parliament and the people, Johnson accused elements of his own Conservative Party of trying to undermine and reverse the Brexit Referendum and generally of propagating a witch-hunt to force him out.  Timing his leaving just after an honours list was approved by the current Prime Minister (successor once removed), Johnson, highly critical of the direction and split in the Tory party, again floated the idea of an eventual return to politics.