Supporters of Boris Johnson are backing the former prime minister to make an extraordinary political comeback following the resignation of Liz Truss - and some Nottinghamshire Live readers have also backed the possible move.
Liz Truss resigned as the country's leader in a speech at Downing Street after more than a dozen Conservative MPs publicly called on her to step down. Her 44-day tenure means she has become the shortest serving Prime Minister in history after she battled an open revolt from Conservatives demanding her departure.
Now, Boris Johnson is expected to stand in the contest to replace her and believes it is a matter of “national interest”, according to reports. The former prime minister, who only left office six weeks ago, is understood to be taking soundings from friends, but is said to believe he can turn the Conservative Party around.
Reports on Friday morning suggest he will get the support of at least 100 Tory MPs needed if he is to make a spectacular comeback.
If he does stand, he is likely to find himself up against Rishi Sunak and the Leader of the House Penny Mordaunt.
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Nottinghamshire Live readers voiced their opinions on this matter on Facebook, with many calling for a return to No.10 for Mr Johnson.
Tracey Wells said: "Definitely bring him back he made mistakes through the pandemic but he got us out it ... or Martin Lewis would make a good Prime Minister that's my opinion."
Another reader, Nicki Smith, commented: "He is human. We have all broken rules. But at least he carried out things he said he would."
Dawn Turner wrote: "Yes bring back boris , he should never have been made to leave in the first place."
Margaret Thompson said: "I love Boris, hope he comes back."
One reader, Pauline Borton, said: "Totally agree he should, I bet he would pull it all together, every one should have a second chance."
However, not everybody is as enthused at the prospect of Boris Johnson serving a second term as Prime Minister.
Jonathan Greaves sarcastically wrote: "Yeah- lets bring Clown Prince Boris back. That'll help restore sanity, stability and our international reputation. Not."
Michael Reardon commented: "If you melted all of them down you wouldn't be able to make a good one."
Meanwhile, Mr Johnson's father Stanley told TalkTV’s Piers Morgan Uncensored he hopes his son will run again. He said: “Frankly I have no idea whether Boris is going to be a candidate in this election, no idea at all, but I think he has a very strong record to be considered as a viable candidate and I very much hope he will let his name go forward," MEN reports.
Karl McCartney, the MP for Lincoln who is on the executive of the 1922 Committee of backbench MPs said there is public support for Mr Johnson to return as “people have been coming up to me for the past week and saying they want Boris to come back and I certainly do as well.”
He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I did not want him to resign in the first place.
“I think the Labour Party and some of the media did a credible hatchet job over six months and got rid of our best electoral asset.
“In the marginal seat of Lincoln I know that my majority, which is the largest it has ever been after 2019, was because Boris Johnson was the prime minister and was the leader of our party that was the most credible person at the time to get the majority.”
A Tory MP calling for Mr Johnson to replace Liz Truss said the former prime minister can prevent the party from being “completely wiped out” at the next general election.
When it was put to him Mr Johnson was brought down by a mass exodus of his own ministers, Peterborough MP Paul Bristow told BBC Breakfast: “Well, that was then, this is now. We’re facing a crisis as a party. We could go down and be completely wiped out without Boris Johnson as our prime minister…
“Boris Johnson has a mandate from the members of the party and from the electorate. I’m sure my colleagues will reflect on that when they vote, and we can avoid a general election, we can go out and put this band back together, we can have political heavyweights around that Cabinet table and we can go on and win the next general election. I’m convinced of that”.
He said Mr Johnson can “unite all factions of our party”.
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