Boris Johnson today announced his resignation as leader of the Conservative Party and therefore as Prime Minister, following a barrage of resignations from ministers, junior ministers and advisers who claimed he was no longer fit to govern.
After a multi-day struggle to hold on to power, Johnson was abandoned by all but a handful of his allies after a series of scandals shook their willingness to support him. Here are a few scandals that have hurt Johnson politically during his tenure on Downing Street:
The Pincher affair
Mass resignations from the government this week followed allegations by a former senior secretary that Johnson's office gave false information about past allegations of sexual harassment by MP Christopher Pincher.
In February, Johnson appointed Pincher deputy in charge of party discipline. Last week, Pincher was removed from the party after admitting that he had groped two men while intoxicated during a night out.
In the process, it became known that Pincher had been accused of other sexual harassment cases.
Initially, the prime minister's office said Johnson was unaware of specific past allegations against Pincher. However, on Monday, Forayne Ophi's 2019 secretary general, Simon McDonald, drafted a letter stating that he had investigated the allegations in 2019 and had verified them.
Partygate
The term Partygate was coined in reference to a scandal involving parties held at government venues, including the Prime Minister's own office in Downing Street, which were found to have breached strict regulations against COVID-19.
Johnson himself was fined by the police for attending a birthday party and was forced to apologise to Queen Elizabeth when it became known that Downing Street staff had held a party on the premises of the Prime Minister's residence on the eve of the funeral of Prince Philip, Elizabeth's husband, in April 2021.
The Queen sat alone during the ceremony inside the church because gatherings were banned.
A senior secretary's report into a series of illegal parties amid lockdowns cited excessive drinking and vomiting by Downing Street staff.
Parliament is still investigating whether Johnson misled MPs repeatedly when he denied knowing that illegal parties were taking place. Johnson claims he sincerely believed at the time that the gatherings did not break the law, but now admits he was wrong.
Other sex scandals
Johnson's Conservatives have been hit by other scandals involving MPs accused of sexual impropriety, including two cases that led to MPs resigning. In both cases the Tories lost the by-election last month.
Conservative MP Imran Ahmed Khan resigned after being found guilty of sexually abusing a 15-year-old boy. Neil Parrish, another Conservative MP, resigned after admitting to watching pornography on his mobile phone twice in the House of Commons chamber in a moment of madness.
Another Conservative MP was arrested on suspicion of rape, sexual assault and other offences. The MP was released on bail in May and his identity was not released to the media to protect the identity of the alleged victim.
Owen Patterson case
Last year, a parliamentary committee recommended that Conservative MP and former minister Owen Patterson's parliamentary status be suspended for 30 days after he was found to have been involved in an "incredible case of paid lobbying" by lobbying on behalf of companies that paid him.
Conservatives initially voted in parliament to end Patterson's suspension and review the investigation process. Following press headlines, Patterson resigned and the government dropped its proposed changes to cover up the case. The Conservatives lost the local election held to appoint Patterson's replacement in parliament.
Lavish refurbishment
After a renovation of the Downing Street flat where Boris Johnson still lives - which was commissioned by a celebrity designer and included gold wallpaper worth 200.000 pounds Britain's electoral commission fined the Conservatives 17,800 pounds for failing to accurately report a donation to pay for that renovation.
Johnson's ethics adviser later criticized the prime minister for failing to disclose certain messages exchanged with the donor. However, he concluded that Johnson had not deliberately lied about the messages.
Source: protothema.gr
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