Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson is reported to be in a plane heading for the UK after the resignation of Liz Truss. Mr Johnson, who is expected to stand in the Tory leadership contest, is flying back to the UK today, a source told Express.co.uk.
Mr Johnson had been on holiday with his family in the Caribbean.
The Johnson ally said: "Boris is on the plane now. He is the one candidate who can save the Tories now. It may not be a coronation but he is coming home to be Prime Minister again."
An MP added: "The king over the sea is returning."
The Express has been told that the former Prime Minister is "taking soundings" on making a comeback. He believes it is a matter of "national interest". A number of Conservatives allies are reported to have been contacted asking for their support for a comeback.
The Express says Jacob Rees-Mogg has started calling MPs on the right of the party. Close Johnson ally Nadine Dorries tweeted her support for him.
She wrote: “One person was elected by the British public with a manifesto and a mandate until January ‘25. If Liz Truss is no longer PM there can be no coronation of previously failed candidates. MPs must demand return of @BorisJohnson – if not it has to be leadership election or a GE.”
Mr Johnson very reluctantly left Downing Street, saying in a speech in July outside the famous black door: “I want you to know how sad I am to be giving up the best job in the world, but them’s the breaks.”
He told how he had been unsuccessful in trying to persuade his colleagues that it would be “eccentric to change governments” back in the summer.
Government minister Sir James Duddridge said it was time for a comeback by Boris Johnson.
Tweeting with the hashtag #bringbackboris, he said: “I hope you enjoyed your holiday boss. Time to come back. Few issues at the office that need addressing.”
Sir James had served as a parliamentary private secretary to Mr Johnson when he was in No 10.
Shadow work and pensions secretary Jonathan Ashworth said reports Boris Johnson could run to replace Liz Truss are “staggering”, telling the PA news agency: “It just beggars belief Conservative MPs think that would be an appropriate thing to do now.
“And I think it reinforces the case for a general election because frankly the idea that when people have had enough, when people are struggling, the idea that Tory MPs should stitch it up in corridors and deny the public any say in this whatsoever is utterly unacceptable.
“It’s why we are making our demands for a general election now.”
The return of Boris Johnson would “add insult to injury for the public”, Sir Keir Starmer has said.
Asked whether he would not mind facing Mr Johnson again, amid speculation of a comeback after Liz Truss’s resignation, the Labour leader told the BBC’s Newscast podcast: “No. I share the view that (he) was unfit for office.”
Sir Keir added: “Let’s remember that it was three months ago pretty much that he resigned in disgrace. He resigned because dozens of his frontbench (colleagues) were resigning themselves, saying he was unfit for office…
“So if they’re going to go from this experiment, this chaos, this economic damage, (and) wind back three months to a man who was deemed to be unfit for office, I think that only adds insult to injury for the public (who will be) knocking on the door saying, ‘Hang on, why can’t we have a say on this?’”
