Boris Johnson faces being booted out by Christmas if he returns as PM and is found guilty in a probe on claims he lied about Partygate, Tories have warned. And key figures fear his comeback would spark a full-scale civil war within the party as it still reels from his scandal-ridden period in office.
With the Tories engulfed in a political storm after Liz Truss quit on Wednesday, Johnson was yesterday still sunning himself on a Caribbean holiday with wife Carrie – as our exclusive picture shows. But he is expected to fly back today to plot a new bid for power.
A friend said last night: “He’s WhatsApping MPs saying, ‘I’m flying back, we’re going to do this, I’m up for it’.” Tory MP James Duddridge claimed Johnson told him in a phone call: “I’m going to do it.”
But critics warned MPs would quit the party in droves if he does return as PM, just weeks after he was ousted amid Partygate lies, his handling of sex harassment complaints against a minister and a looming probe. He could be suspended if he is found guilty of misleading Parliament over Partygate.
A former Cabinet minister said: “If Boris wins, MPs will go from having playground fights to full-on nuclear war.” And ex-Tory leader William Hague said Johnson’s comeback would plunge the party into a “death spiral”.
He added: “I think it’s possibly the worst idea I’ve heard of in the 46 years I’ve been a member of the party. Boris Johnson was unable to uphold the high standards of conduct necessary in the highest offices in the land.”
Former veterans minister Johnny Mercer warned against re-electing Johnson. He said: “I just don’t think I can put myself through that again. I don’t think I can ask my constituents to. Now is the time for serious, competent government. The country is in a dire situation.”
Tory Simon Hoare warned Johnson “has too much baggage and history”. He added: “He made too many mistakes. We need a new, fresh chapter.” Foreign Office minister Jesse Norman said: “Choosing Boris would be a catastrophic decision.”
Another Tory said: “What are we going to do if he gets kicked out for lying over Partygate? Just pick another leader and carry on? It’s insane.” But with Labour well ahead in the polls last night, Johnson’s supporters claim he can stop the party facing election obliteration.
He yesterday won the backing of Tory colleagues Ben Wallace, Jacob Rees-Mogg, Anne-Marie Trevelyan, Simon Clarke and Alok Sharma. In an extraordinary twist, some MPs who quit this year because of concerns about his premiership also announced they were backing him.
But the backlash against selecting yet another PM through a vote by Tory members was last night growing. More than 80,000 people have signed a petition demanding a general election now.
A YouGov poll found last night 52 per cent of people would be unhappy to see Johnson as PM. And 71 per cent believe he knowingly lied about breaking lockdown rules.
If Johnson is found guilty in the probe, it could trigger a by-election in his Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituency. Penny Mordaunt last night became the first candidate to throw her hat into the ring in the race to succeed Truss.
Rishi Sunak is expected to announce he is running today. He was endorsed by former Cabinet minister Sajid Javid and Mercer. The leadership candidates have until 2pm on Monday to get the backing of 100 MPs to remain in the contest.
Amid the turmoil, Johnson and Carrie were pictured at a beach bar on their holiday in the Dominican Republic. One Brit tourist said the Casa De Campo resort is “the most exclusive place you can be” there.
The snap was taken around 5pm last Friday, hours after Truss sacked Kwasi Kwarteng over the botched mini-Budget. After his own resignation in July, Johnson, 58, went on a break to Slovenia then Greece.
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