Boris Johnson’s campaign team have told supporters they have secured the 100 nominations needed from MPs for the former prime minister to get on the ballot paper, it has been reported. The PA news agency reported that Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris has sent a WhatsApp message to supporters confirming they have the numbers, according to The Sun’s political editor Harry Cole.
Mr Heaton-Harris told them: “OK everyone! Some very good news! Thanks to all your hard work I can confirm we have completed all the paperwork (verified all nominations, with proposer and seconder) to be on the ballot tomorrow.” As of 6.30pm on Sunday, only Rishi Sunak and Penny Mordaunt had officially announced they were joining the race for the Tory leadership.
Mr Johnson returned to the UK on Saturday to plot a second run for the top job, in a move that has divided opinion among Conservative MPs including his former allies. He arrived at Gatwick Airport with his family after breaking off a holiday in the Dominican Republic following Liz Truss’s dramatic resignation on Thursday.
Tory MPs will vote on Monday, and two candidates will be put forward to the party membership unless one pulls out, with a result being announced on Friday. Candidates have until 2pm on Monday to secure the 100 nominations, limiting the ballot to a maximum of three candidates.
Supporters of Mr Johnson believe that if he can make it to the last two, he will win in the final online ballot of party members with whom he remains popular. Some MPs have warned they would resign the Tory whip and sit in the Commons as independents if Mr Johnson returned to Downing Street.
