Former Business Secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg has warned that the Conservatives could descend into a “civil war” if they attempt to block Boris Johnson from standing in another seat.
Mr Johnson caused shockwaves after resigning from his Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituency on Friday in the wake of the Partygate inquiry.
He was soon followed by key allies Nadine Dorries and Nigel Adams who announced their departures from their Mid Bedfordshire and Selby and Ainsty seats, meaning the party now faces three by-elections.
The deadline for would-be Tory candidates to apply to contest those constituencies is Monday afternoon, and Mr Johnson’s allies in the Commons have warned that any attempt to block him from running for the Commons could “plunge the Conservatives into civil war”.
Writing in the Mail on Sunday, Mr Rees-Mogg, who served as a minister under Mr Johnson, said the former Prime Minister could “easily get back into Parliament at the next election” and was “in pole position to return as Conservative leader if a vacancy should arise”.
He added: “I would most strongly warn Conservative Party managers against any attempt to block Boris if he seeks the party nomination in another seat.
“Any attempt to do so would shatter our fragile party unity and plunge the Conservatives into civil war.”
It came despite former Conservative Deputy Prime Minister Michael Heseltine saying Mr Johnson should not be allowed to run again.
“To me it is inconceivable that in these circumstances he could stand as a Conservative member of parliament again,” he wrote in the Observer.
In his resignation on Friday, Mr Johnson claimed a House of Commons inquiry was determined to find him guilty over Partygate.
He then said there had been a “witch hunt” among some Tory MPs who saw his removal as a necessary first step to the reversal of Brexit.
“I am not alone in thinking that a witch hunt is underway to take revenge for Brexit and ultimately to reverse the 2016 referendum result,” he said.
“My removal is the necessary first step, and I believe there has been a concerted attempt to bring it about.”
He then accused the Privileges Committee of acting as a biased “kangaroo court” that was intent on forcing him out.
“They have still not produced a shred of evidence that I knowingly or recklessly misled the Commons,” he said. “Their purpose from the beginning has been to find me guilty, regardless of the facts. This is the very definition of a kangaroo court.”
The former Prime Minister also attacked Rishi Sunak, accusing him of abandoning key Conservative positions as he called on the party to recover its “mojo”.
Although a by-election in the marginal seat of Uxbridge and South Ruislip has been triggered, a seat the Tories hold with just over 7,000 votes, Mr Johnson left the door open for a return to the Commons, saying he was sad to be leaving Parliament “for now”.
