UK's Johnson Re-selected as Tory Candidate for Next General Election

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been re-selected as a candidate from the Conservative Party in Uxbridge and South Ruislip electoral districts to run for the next general election despite an ongoing probe into the partygate scandal, Johnson's spokesman said on Friday.

"Tonight the Uxbridge and South Ruislip selection committee re-adopted Boris Johnson as our parliamentary candidate," the spokesman was quoted as saying by Sky News.

In late June 2022, the Committee of Privileges said it was looking for witnesses and evidence to help establish whether Johnson had misled the parliament over parties at Downing 10 during COVID-19 lockdowns while he was in office. On March 3, the committee published a preliminary report detailing such cases.

Johnson may be suspended from the House of Commons for 10 days if it is proven that he misled the parliament. The suspension could serve as a justification for filing a petition to withdraw his parliamentary mandate.

The next general election in the United Kingdom is due to take place no later than January 2025.

The scandal erupted after it surfaced that several social gatherings had been held at Johnson's offices throughout 2020 and 2021, flouting COVID-19 social distancing rules. The situation was aggravated by the reports that two more parties were held on April 16, 2021 on the eve of Prince Philip's funeral, when the UK still maintained COVID-19 restrictions and was in national mourning. Johnson later apologized and said he had paid the fine issued by the Metropolitan Police.