Boris Johnson vows 'I'll be back' as he formally resigns

Last Friday (June 9) the former Prime Minister announced he was stepping down from his role as an MP for Uxbridge South Ruislip in advance of a report from the privileges committee concerning the Partygate scandal.

This was investigating whether he lied to MPs about lockdown parties in Downing Street.

He accused the investigation of trying to drive him out, and claimed there was a “witch-hunt underway, to take revenge for Brexit and ultimately to reverse the 2016 referendum result”, The Guardian reported.

Now with his resignation formally registered, the 58-year-old has promised a return to politics in the near future.

Boris Johnson has called for the Conservatives to fully deliver on Brexit and the 2019 party manifesto (Image: PA)

In a statement made to the Daily Express, Mr Johnson declared: “We must fully deliver on Brexit and on the 2019 manifesto. We must smash Labour at the next election.

“Nothing less than absolute victory and total Brexit will do – and as the great Arnold Schwarzenegger said, I’ll be back.”

Surprise resignations from the Conservative party

Mr Johnson's surprise resignation came hours after his long-awaited honours list was published, which lacked the names of former culture secretary Nadine Dorries and former minister Nigel Adams.

Both of those MPs then announced later that weekend that they would also be stepping down from their roles.

It leaves Prime Minister Rishi Sunak facing three by-elections at a time when the Conservatives are trailing behind Labour in the polls.

Mr Johnson's camp accused Mr Sunak of having "secretly blocked" their peerages to avoid the potentially damaging electoral tests - something Downing Street has strenuously denied

Meanwhile, Mr Sunak claimed his predecessor asked him to overrule a panel vetting his nominations to the House of Lords.