Johnson resigned after receiving the results of an investigation into misleading statements he made to parliament about a series of government meetings that breached pandemic lockdown rules.
In a statement, he accused his opponents of trying to oust him from power.
Johnson resigned as prime minister in 2022 amid several scandals, but remained an MLA.
His departure comes as several dozen aides to Britain’s former prime minister were honored on Friday, a list that drew criticism from opponents of the ousted leader.
The “resignation honour”, given by the monarch but chosen by the government, is an established but controversial way for outgoing leaders to reward their loyal lieutenants.
Johnson granted life seats to several former advisers in the House of Lords, the upper house of parliament, and awarded loyalist MPs such as former cabinet ministers Jacob Rees-Mogg and Priti Patel. Other advisers, MPs and figures in the Conservative Party received less respect.
The list includes several staff members implicated in the “Partygate” scandal over gatherings in government buildings during the pandemic, including former Johnson aides Martin Reynolds and Shelley Williams-Walker.
Angela Rayner, deputy leader of the opposition Labor Party, said Johnson had rewarded his “cronies”.
“Instead of tackling the cost of life crisis, the Tories are spending their time rewarding those who tried to break the rules and serving as a toad for a disgraced former prime minister,” he said.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s office said that, as usual, the current leader did not interfere with his predecessor’s honors list.
Among political allies of the estranged Johnson, one name stood out on the list: Kelly Dodge, the director of Parliament’s hairdressing salon, was made an OBE.
One name missing from the list is former culture secretary Nadine Dorries, a staunch supporter of Johnson and widely regarded as the favorite to enter Lord’s. She was not on the list, but on Friday she announced she was no longer a deputy, effective immediately. A special election will be held to fill his seat in the House of Commons.
The issues of patronage are particularly sensitive around Johnson, who steps down in September 2022 as scandals over funding, ethics and decisions turn Conservative MPs against him.
