LONDON — Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s success in securing a new settlement for Northern Ireland with the European Union has killed off any lingering prospects of a return to U.K. power by Boris Johnson, Conservatives said.
In the run-up to Sunak’s announcement of the deal on Monday, Johnson had refused to back his efforts, instead pointing to legislation he proposed as prime minister as the “best way forward” to resolve the post-Brexit standoff. But so far, Sunak’s agreement has been well-received by Tory members of Parliament, including some ardent Brexiteers.
Now, the former premier’s stock has never been lower in the parliamentary party, Conservative MPs said Wednesday. One joked it was time to sell stocks in Johnson, while another said any comeback was now dead in the water. The MPs requested anonymity talking about internal party dynamics.
