UK Conservative lawmaker Nigel Adams quits, triggering new by-election

Nigel Adams has become the third Conservative member of the British Parliament to resign in the past day, triggering a by-election in his constituency.

Adams, who is an ally of Boris Johnson, announced on Saturday that he will be standing down with "immediate effect." 

Media said the move was in support of Johnson who had resigned before him.

His resignation, which triggers a by-election in his Selby and Ainsty constituency, was announced on his personal Twitter account.

“Yesterday, Selby Conservatives selected an excellent new parliamentary candidate," Adams tweeted. “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 honor to represent the area where I was raised (and) educated,” he added.

Prior to Adams' resignation, Johnson and his former Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries, both members of the Conservative Party, had announced their resignation from Parliament

Johnson quit as a Member of the Westminster Parliament on Friday as he launched a fierce and scathing attack against the parliamentary panel investigating him over the "Partygate" scandal.

The former British PM, who led the Tories to a gratifying 80-seat majority in the 2019 general elections, slammed the Commons Privileges Committee investigating him about whether he lied to MPs, giving them his assurances over hearty parties held in Downing Street during the period of coronavirus lockdowns.

Johnson said the seven-person panel was on a "witch hunt" and compared it to a "kangaroo court".

The panel, however, has reportedly reached the conclusion that Johnson had actually lied to MPs when he declared that COVID rules had been followed in Downing Street following reports that lockdown-busting parties were held during the pandemic.

The Conservative-majority parliamentary panel, chaired by veteran Labor MP Harriet Harman, has been accused by Johnson of “bias”.

Johnson said the panel had aimed to “drive me out of Parliament” in a move he said was motivated by a desire to reverse Brexit.

ME