British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's independent ethics adviser has resigned his post this evening.
In a short statement, Christopher Geidt said: "With regret, I feel that it is right that I am resigning from my post as Independent Adviser on Ministers' Interests."
He previously had refused to deny he considered resigning over Mr Johnson's response to being fined for attending a party in Downing Street during lockdown.
Mr Geidt yesterday told the UK Commons Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee he had felt "frustration" and that the option of resignation was always "on the agenda".
However, he said that he did not believe there was ever a point when he formed "a single direct proposition" in his own mind.
The Times newspaper reported that Mr Geidt threatened to quit his post following the publication last month of the Sue Gray report into lockdown violations in Whitehall unless Mr Johnson issued a public explanation for his conduct.
In response, the British Prime Minister put out a letter to Mr Geidt saying he believed any breach of the Covid rules when he attended a gathering in the Cabinet room for his 56th birthday had been "unwitting".
He said he had acted in "good faith" when he told the British parliament that there had not been any parties and that he had since corrected the record.
Pressed yesterday by Labour MP John McDonnell if he had contemplated resignation, Mr Geidt said: "There are few instruments available to an independent adviser and (it is) important to consider what is going to work best in the interest, not of me, but preserving the integrity of the system and of the (Ministerial) Code in making it work in advising the Prime Minister on holding ministers - including a prime minister - publicly to account.
"I haven't given you a direct answer but I don't think there was ever a single, direct proposition in my own mind."
