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Now a committee of MPs is set to judge he didn’t tell the truth. That committee is made up mainly of Tory MPs. The former PM has faced the same procedure as other MPs that get into trouble. And while Mr Johnson claims he has been “forced out”, remember he has chosen to quit before we even see the black and white of their verdict.

It is also a fact there are some Conservatives who begrudge him his success. It is also true that during his last few months in No 10 there were internal enemies trying to force him out.

But to dress that up as a grand conspiracy is, candidly, a stretch. One of those who knows him best told me his resignation announcement was “1,000 words that tell you everything about Johnson’s mindset – it’s your fault not mine”.

Rather than confront what has happened or try to defend himself from the judgement that is coming, Boris Johnson made a political choice this week not to stay and fight.

As ever, the line between farce and tragedy is skinny. While most of the headlines screamed of the shock, the former prime minister’s exit from Parliament is entirely on brand.

The timing on a Friday was unexpected, but no surprise. He never much liked Parliament anyway, even though he managed to find a gong for the Commons’ hairdresser.

The idea he would savour being a humble backbencher asking questions about cash for the local hospital or appearing at school fetes was for the birds. And if the Privileges Committee’s findings are as savage as expected he would have faced a by-election.

Clues from his track record tell us there is little chance he would have fought if he hadn’t been sure he could win. He pulled out of the Tory leadership race in 2016 when Michael Gove’s move blew up his status as front-runner.

He didn’t run in 2022 despite a dash back from the Caribbean and fevered claims that he had enough support. One former cabinet ally says he is “more calculating than people think and this will have been a calculation – if he thought he would win the by-election he would stay”. To win and lose does not match brand Boris. To leave like this absolutely does.

The power of his personality – frankly his fame – means he leaves behind some devastated colleagues and a strand of the public who believe he has been hard done by.

One former cabinet minister says: “The party wounded itself when it defenestrated Boris and continues to bleed.”

Some of his hard-core supporters left on the backbenches say his exit is a sad day for democracy and – with some justification believe his leadership is what secured their seats, particularly in parts of the country where the Tories could never have dreamt of doing well before.

Some of his loyal backers do feel like he is the great hero in a tragedy, cast aside unfairly in an epic drama, undone by those who envy his talents.

His exit is arguably a tragedy for those who genuinely believed in and adored him. And there is a political tragedy for the Conservative Party, which many MPs privately believe squandered a once in a generation majority.

2019 gave it one of those rare chances to make radical changes to the country, and while many believe it was thrown away by mismanagement and mistakes, there was of course the unexpected horror of the Covid pandemic too.

For those who deplore Boris Johnson, there is a different kind of tragedy, the damage they believe he did to the UK’s reputation. And several of those who have been close to him over the years identify a fourth element of the mess – the fact they believe it was never going to end well.

In the Greek tragedies so beloved of Mr Johnson himself, fate, and inevitability plays an important role. One of them says: “Boris is a genuine tragedy. This was all inevitable. We knew how it would play out, but we are still surprised and shocked about how dreadful it is. All our hard work pissed away.”

So what happens next? Some MPs are actually cock-a-hoop despite the colossal mess. One tells me: “The man-baby has gone – so pleased!”

But allies talk up his chances of running for another seat some time. One former senior minister tells me “the question is does he plan to get another seat or even Mid-Beds?” – the constituency his close ally and former Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries has just left.

Another former cabinet minister says: “It would be very unwise for him to run again. He has a vociferous 20% in the party who like him but 80% don’t. If he ran in a by-election the Lib Dems would murder him.”

Would party HQ even let that happen? Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has changed the personnel in charge there. One senior figure pours a bucket of freezing water over the idea telling me: “Boris died today.”

What is not clear yet is whether as that MP suggests the manner of his departure could “generate so much unrest I fear there will be an election much sooner than thought”.

Mr Johnson has thrown grenades at No 10 – not just the committee that has judged him – suggesting Mr Sunak is not running a “proper Conservative” government.

One former ally says the ex-PM has “gone full circle, returning to his political home – a hut across the water where he can now lob rocks without any sense of responsibility or accountability – and that is ultimately very dangerous for his party and Sunak”.

The ex-PM saw in advance a report by the Commons Privileges Committee investigating if he misled the Commons over Downing Street lockdown parties.

In an explosive and lengthy statement, he called the committee a “kangaroo court” whose purpose “has been to find me guilty, regardless of the facts”.

The committee said it had “followed the procedures and the mandate”.

The cross-party committee of MPs – the majority of which are Conservative – added it would conclude its inquiry on Monday and “publish its report promptly”.

Mr Johnson’s resignation now triggers a by-election in his marginal constituency of Uxbridge and South Ruislip.

Delivering his announcement late on Friday evening, Mr Johnson said the draft report he had seen was “riddled with inaccuracies and reeks of prejudice”, adding it was clear the committee was “determined to use the proceedings against me to drive me out of Parliament”.

“They have still not produced a shred of evidence that I knowingly or recklessly misled the Commons,” he said, insisting “I did not lie”.

He also accused its chairwoman, Labour’s Harriet Harman, of “egregious bias”, saying he was “bewildered and appalled” at how he was being forced out.

The ex-prime minister previously admitted misleading Parliament when he gave evidence to the committee in a combative hearing in March – but denied doing it on purpose.

He said social distancing had not been “perfect” at gatherings in Downing Street during Covid lockdowns but insisted the guidelines, as he understood them, were followed at all times.

Mr Johnson also used his letter to attack the direction of the government, saying “we must not be afraid to be properly Conservative” and warning the party’s majority was at risk.

“We need to show how we are making the most of Brexit and we need in the next months to be setting out a pro-growth and pro-investment agenda,” Mr Johnson argued.

“Why have we so passively abandoned the prospect of a Free Trade Deal with the US? Why have we junked measures to help people into housing or to scrap EU directives or to promote animal welfare?”

It was a direct aim at Prime Minister Rishi Sunak – hours after he stepped off a plane from Washington where Mr Sunak was not talking about a free trade agreement with the US.

And Mr Johnson’s statement was an attempt to rally Brexiteers in his party, suggesting his demise was driven by a motivation to “reverse the 2016 referendum result”.

The statement contained further criticism of former senior civil servant Sue Gray, who investigated lockdown gatherings at Number 10.

“I am afraid I no longer believe that it is any coincidence” that she will soon become “chief of staff designate” of the Labour leader Sir Kier Starmer, Mr Johnson wrote.

Ending his 1,000-word letter, Mr Johnson said he was “very sad to be leaving Parliament” before adding – “at least for now” – for anyone thinking he is about to retreat into obscurity.

Mr Johnson’s exit will trigger a by-election in his west London seat, which he held with a 7,000 vote majority in the 2019 election.

The Conservatives will also have to defend the Mid Bedfordshire seat of Nadine Dorries – a close ally of Mr Johnson – after she stepped down as an MP earlier on Friday.

Mr Johnson’s dramatic move came after he was given the committee’s findings, including details of criticisms it intended to make and evidence to support its conclusion.

He had faced a potential by-election if MPs recommended a suspension from the Commons as a punishment for misleading Parliament.

Responding to his statement, a Privileges Committee spokesperson said: “The committee has followed the procedures and the mandate of the House at all times and will continue to do so.

“Mr Johnson has departed from the processes of the House and has impugned the integrity of the House by his statement. The committee will meet on Monday to conclude the inquiry and to publish its report promptly.”

Elsewhere, Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner condemned what she called a “never-ending Tory soap opera”.

For the Liberal Democrats, deputy leader Daisy Cooper said: “Good riddance.”

And SNP deputy Westminster leader Mhairi Black said Mr Johnson “jumped before he was pushed”, adding “no-one in Scotland will be sorry to see the back of him”.

However, former home secretary Priti Patel, who was made a Dame in his resignations honours list also announced on Friday, praised Mr Johnson for his work as prime minister on the issues of Ukraine and Brexit, describing him as “a political titan”.

Boris Johnson’s local Conservative association chairman, Richard Mills, said the former PM “has delivered on his promises to local residents”.

Another sitting MP announced in the resignation honours list, Sir Michael Fabricant, criticised the Privileges Committee for what he called its “disgraceful treatment” of the former prime minister.

Mr Johnson was prime minister from July 2019 until September 2022, and has been an MP since 2001 – although not continuously, having served as mayor of London between 2008 and 2016.