Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson arrives at Gatwick Airport in London
(Picture: PA)Boris Johnson allegedly has 100 backers and may run for the leadership, sources have claimed.
While unconfirmed, the BBC’s Chris Mason said: “I’m told Boris Johnson now has more than 100 backers and so could be on the ballot if he chooses to be.”
However, this was soon followed with messages from some MPs labelling the news as “hogwash” and “absolute garbage”.
Tory MP Sir James Duddrige has also claimed the former Prime Minister has reached the threshold, but again, the names have not been made public.
As of 5.30pm, Mr Johnson had 50 MPs officially who have publicly supported him, according to Sky News. In contrast, Rishi Sunak had 110 and has therefore exceeded the needed threshold of support - Penny Mordaunt stands on 22.
Following Liz Truss’s resignation, the former Prime Minister returned to the UK after breaking off a holiday in the Dominican Republic on Thursday but he is yet to formally declare whether he will run or not.
