TORY MP Sir James Duddridge tonight reacted to Boris Johnson's resignation as an MP, describing him as a "titan among minnows".

Sir James - a fierce loyalist of the former PM - spoke after Mr Johnson quit his Uxbridge and South Ruislip seat, which will trigger an immediate by-election.

Sir James, knighted further to advice from  Mr  Johnson said: "History will recognise the great work Boris did on Brexit, Ukraine and Covid. He is a titan amongst minnows.

"This is the conclusion of a chapter not the end of the book. We will hear more about Boris over the coming days, months and years."

Mr Johnson said he was “bewildered and appalled” at the Privileges Committee’s investigation into him.

He said he had received a letter from the committee which is investigating whether he lied to MPs over partygate “making it clear, much to my amazement, that they are determined to use the proceedings against me to drive me out of parliament”.

In a rallying call to his followers, Johnson used his resignation statement to deliver a “stinging” attack on Rishi Sunak’s government.“Just a few years after winning the biggest majority in almost half a century, that majority is now clearly at risk. Our party needs urgently to recapture its sense of momentum and its belief in what this country can do.

“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. We need to cut business and personal taxes – and not just as pre-election gimmicks – rather than endlessly putting them up.  We must not be afraid to be a properly Conservative government.

“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?

“We need to deliver on the 2019 manifesto, which was endorsed by 14 million people. We should remember that more than 17 million voted for Brexit."