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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Politics
Ashley Cowburn

MPs cheer as it's officially announced in Parliament that Boris Johnson has quit

Some Labour MPs cheered in the Commons as the Government officially triggered a by-election in Boris Johnson's vacant parliamentary seat.

It comes just days after the ex-PM dramatically announced his decision to quit as an MP ahead of the publication of a report into whether he misled Parliament over the Partygate scandal.

Another MP and Johnson ally Nigel Adams also resigned his seat paving the way for a double by-election test for Rishi Sunak just days before the summer recess.

Despite saying she will quit the Commons, the ex-Cabinet Minister Nadine Dorries is still yet to formally tender her resignation - prolonging the Prime Minister's headache.

Business in the House of Commons on Wednesday started with Government chief whip Simon Hart issuing the writs for the vacant seats.

Ex-PM Boris Johnson has officially left the Commons (AFP via Getty Images)

Some Labour MPs in the chamber cheered when Mr Hart issued the writ to replace Mr Johnson.

The by-election has to take place between 21 and 27 working days from the issuing of the writ.

Mr Johnson is currently bracing for the release of the Privileges Committee report into his statements during the height of the Partygate scandal.

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Mr Sunak suggested his former boss wanted him to ignore the recommendations of the House of Lords Appointments Commission.

Mr Johnson said he was talking "rubbish" and his camp accused the PM of having "secretly blocked" the peerages of Ms Dorries and other allies.

Labour leader Keir Starmer has warned that the row between the two erstwhile allies was damaging the UK's reputation internationally.

He said the three by-elections triggered by Mr Johnson, Ms Dorries and Nigel Adams were effectively "political tantrums".

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