Boris Johnson has announced he is standing down as an MP with immediate effect.

In a statement, the former prime minister said he has received a letter from the privileges committee about their partygate investigation and claimed they are determined to “drive me out of parliament”.

Mr Johnson said: “I have written to my association in Uxbridge and South Ruislip to say that I am stepping down forthwith and triggering an immediate by-election.

“I am very sorry to leave my wonderful constituency. It has been a huge honour to serve them, both as Mayor and MP.

“But I am proud that after what is cumulatively a 15 year stint I have helped to deliver among other things a vast new railway in the Elizabeth Line and full funding for a wonderful new state of the art hospital for Hillingdon, where enabling works have already begun.”

The cross-party privileges committee, led by Labour MP Harriet Harman, has been assessing whether Mr Johnson misled parliament with his statements claiming all COVID rules and guidance were followed by Number 10 during lockdown gatherings.

A suspension from the Commons of 10 days or more – if approved by MPs – would trigger a recall petition which would then result in a by-election if 10% of his constituents backed the move.

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Mr Johnson said the committee “have still not produced a shred of evidence that I knowingly or recklessly misled the Commons”.

“They know perfectly well that when I spoke in the Commons I was saying what I believed sincerely to be true and what I had been briefed to say, like any other minister,” he said.