Boris Johnson ’s own supporters last night warned he has “no future” in government while he suggested he still has his eyes on the keys to No10.
The ex-PM is threatening to make yet another comeback attempt and take the Tories into the next general election.
As he announced he was pulling out of the race to succeed Liz Truss on Sunday evening, Mr Johnson insisted he is “well–placed to deliver a Conservative victory in 2024”.
Indicating he has not closed the door on his ambition to return to Downing Street, he added: “I believe I have much to offer, but I am afraid that this is simply not the right time.”
But Mr Johnson’s backers last night expressed anger with how he had convinced them to support him, only for him to withdraw.
One told the Mirror: “The future? He has f**king killed off any ‘future’ he had.”
Yesterday there was speculation Rishi Sunak could hand his former rival a post as ambassador to get him away from Westminster.
After Mr Johnson announced he was not standing, Mr Sunak tweeted: "Although he has decided not to run for PM again, I truly hope he continues to contribute to public life at home and abroad."
Keir Starmer said today he believed Mr Johnson’s comeback was "never going to work".
During a phone-in on LBC, the Labour leader said: "When he first said that he was going to run, and everybody was sort of rallying around, I did put my head in my hands and think, so, really, we're going to go from the prime minister who's just crashed the economy... back to the guy that only... months ago, most of us were saying was unfit for office," he said.
"It was never going to work, I don't think."
Mr Johnson is still under investigation by the House of Commons Privileges Committee into claims he misled Parliament over the Partygate scandal.
