There’s a saying that all political careers end in failure. I’m not convinced it’s true, but it does for a lot of people.

Boris Johnson, former prime minister, has now left the building. Literally. Having accepted that he broke covid rules after the police investigation, he was then accused of lying to Parliament. The Privileges Committee, that investigates all matters to do with internal issues, publishes its report this week and recommends a suspension longer than the 10 days maximum before an MP’s constituents can call a petition to hold an election on that MP. Boris, in an ill advised letter, accused the committee of being undemocratic kangaroo court and resigned his seat. He is now no longer an MP.

Boris’s time has been unique. Many love him, many loathe him. Few ignore him. I didn’t support him in the leadership race, but I am incredibly grateful to him. Thanks to him and his policies we have flood defences being built in Bewdley, we have been benefits of the levelling up funds and Town Centre funds, we are seeing money being invested in the local hospital and schools. But when a political party in government can’t find enough people to make up the ministerial positions needed to form a government, a leader with Boris’s mixed leadership skills can’t continue in office.

I despair of his approach to his latest predicament. Just because someone believes they did not break the rules doesn’t mean they didn’t. Accusing the process of being undemocratic is nonsense. Members of the committee are elected by their party colleagues. The ruling is voted on by Parliament. Constituents have a choice whether to sign the recall petition. The by-election is the epitome of a democratic process. To try to pretend that the process is somehow a personal vendetta against him is simply ridiculous.

All MPs are held in a position of trust and need to demonstrate excellence. An MP being sentenced in court for some crime will receive a higher sentence than otherwise because of his or her position in the public eye. It is crucial that we all do our best to behave in an exemplary way. Of course, we are all human so mess up, but that is when contrition demonstrates remorse.

Boris hints that he will be coming back. He may. As long as he meets the standards we require of all our candidates, he will be welcome. But I sense no one is prepared to make a special case for him. And for the rest of us? We are now finally back to sensible government.