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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Politics
Michael Savage and Toby Helm

Senior Tories say Boris Johnson’s return as PM would risk party’s death

Boris Johnson arrives at Gatwick Airport in London, yesterday
Boris Johnson at Gatwick airport yesterday. His team claims he has the backing of 100 MPs but only 55 have publicly declared their support. Photograph: Gareth Fuller/PA

Senior Tories are engaged in a frantic campaign to stop Boris Johnson staging a dramatic return to Downing Street, with claims he would cause further economic damage and risk “the end of the Conservative party”.

Johnson’s team was claiming on Saturday night that he had privately secured the support of the 100 MPs necessary for entering the race, despite only 55 backing him in public. The assertion was immediately disputed by MPs and rival leadership campaign sources. Johnson released a photo of himself lobbying an MP on the phone, but his allies on Saturday night could not confirm he would officially enter the contest to win back the leadership he was deposed from just months ago.

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