Britain’s Labor opposition leader Keir Starmer called for an early general election on Sunday after former prime minister Boris Johnson’s resignation from parliament further deepened divisions within the Conservative Party, AFP reported.

Sir Keir Starmer, British Labor leaderPhoto: Ray Tang/LNP / Shutterstock Editorial / Profimedia

“This farce must stop. People are fed up with the Tory government, Keir Starmer tweeted.

Rishi Sunak, the prime minister who took office in October, “needs to call an election and let the public have their say on 13 years of Conservative failures,” the opposition leader added.

The Liberal Democrats also called for early elections. “It’s time for the public to have a say in this chaotic Tory government,” said Daisy Cooper, the party’s deputy leader.

Boris Johnson, who resigned from Downing Street last July after a series of scandals, announced on Friday night that he was stepping down as an MP. Two other deputies, among his close associates, also resigned from parliament on Friday and Saturday.

In a lengthy statement, he accused the Privileges Committee, which is leading a parliamentary inquiry into partygate — parties held in Downing Street in breach of COVID-19 restrictions — of trying to “kick him out of parliament”. He said he was the victim of a “witch hunt” and criticized his successor, Rishi Sunak.

His resignation and that of his two Tory allies, Nadine Dorries and Nigel Adams, triggered by-elections in the three constituencies, high-stakes polls for majorities. The Conservatives have already suffered significant losses in May’s local elections.

‘Could drag Tories into civil war’

The British political world is now wondering about the future of Boris Johnson after his latest feat.

“The world has changed. He (Boris Johnson) is the one who left the political scene, resigned as an MP (…) With Rishi Sunak, we have a great leadership at number 10,” Energy Secretary Grant Shapps told Sky News, seemingly ruling out a return. former leader.

But ultra-conservative Jacob Rees-Mogg, a close ally of Boris Johnson, told the Mail On Sunday that Boris Johnson could “easily return to parliament at the next election”.

He warned representatives of the Conservative Party “against any attempt to block Boris if he runs for the party in another college.” It would “destroy the fragile unity of our party and throw the Tories into an internal war”, he said.