Boris Johnson’s allies STILL remain hopeful of a return as Tory party leader before next election

Allies of Boris Johnson believe he could still return as Tory leader before the next election if Rishi Sunak fails to close the poll gap with Labour.

The former Prime Minister abandoned his extraordinary attempt to succeed Liz Truss this week after concluding it was too soon for him to unite the warring Tory MPs who ousted him in July.

His decision, late on Sunday night, left the way clear for Rishi Sunak to become Tory leader the following day.

In a statement on Sunday night, he said he had a ‘very good chance of winning’ but added: ‘I have sadly come to the conclusion that this would simply not be the right thing to do. You can’t govern effectively unless you have a united party in parliament.’

Mr Johnson has congratulated his estranged former Chancellor and urged Tory MPs to give him their ‘full and wholehearted support’.

Some allies fear Mr Sunak (pictured) may struggle to overhaul Sir Keir Starmer in the opinion polls – and believe Tory MPs could look to Mr Johnson as a proven winner

A source said: ‘As the next election approaches, the focus of Tory MPs will switch increasingly to who can win and who can save their seat. If they don’t think the current lot can do it he (Boris) will always be there as the emergency cord’. Pictured: Mr Sunak and Mr Johnson in October 2020

But some allies fear Mr Sunak may struggle to beat Sir Keir Starmer in the opinion polls – and believe Tory MPs could look to Mr Johnson as a proven winner as the next General Election approaches, probably in 2024.

‘He thinks the job’s not done,’ said one friend. ‘It’s just not quite the right time. The Parliamentary party is not in quite the right place. But it is probably a matter of time.

‘As the next election approaches, the focus of Tory MPs will switch increasingly to who can win and who can save their seat. If they don’t think the current lot can do it he (Boris) will always be there as the emergency cord.’

The source added: ‘These days you need a tripartite mandate – you need the MPs, the Tory membership and the country. Sunak has got the MPs but it’s yet to be confirmed whether he can get the other two.’

Early polls suggest Mr Sunak has made progress on closing the massive poll gap left by Miss Truss, but that he has a long way to go if the Tories are to have any hope of winning the next election.

The former Prime Minister abandoned his extraordinary attempt to succeed Liz Truss this week after concluding it was too soon for him to unite the warring Tory MPs who ousted him in July. He’d shared these pictures only a day earlier indicating he’d been on the phone to MPs to gain their support 

A YouGov poll this week put Labour down five points on 51 per cent, with the Conservatives up four to 23 per cent.

But this still leaves Labour with a 28-point lead, and ministers have yet to unveil a painful package of tax rises and spending cuts expected in next month’s Budget.

Mr Johnson’s campaign team bridled at claims that he could not reach the threshold of 100 MPs needed to get on the ballot paper this week.

Campaign manager Nigel Adams said that Bob Blackman, secretary of the 1922 Committee, had ‘independently verified’ that Mr Johnson was ‘above the threshold required to stand for the Conservative Party leadership in this leadership election’.

An ally said: ‘He proved he could get on the ballot, even though the threshold was set incredibly high. He has proved he is still in play.’

Mr Johnson is now expected to focus on holding the Government’s feet to the fire over levelling up and support for Ukraine.

Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson waves as he arrives at Gatwick Airport in London, after travelling on a flight from the Caribbean

If Tory MPs doubt Mr Sunak will beat Labour leader Keir Starmer at the next election, sources say they’re likely to try to bring Mr Johnson back

The former Prime Minister is even considering making public visits to some of the Red Wall seats that swept him to power to highlight the ongoing need to ‘level up’.

He is also set to spend time in Washington to maintain pressure on the Biden administration to keep up its support for Ukraine.

Sources said he is also completing a planned biography of Shakespeare and is beginning preparation for writing his own memoirs.

Mr Johnson’s decision to pull out of the leadership race angered some backers and embarrassed Cabinet allies such as James Cleverly and Nadhim Zahawi, who publicly backed him just hours before he withdrew.

Michael Fabricant said he was ‘bitterly disappointed’ by the decision and said some supporters felt ‘betrayed’.

He told GB News: ‘I know a lot of people in his team feel not just disappointed, they feel betrayed. They feel they have been led to the top of the hill, fighting for him. They got that 100 MPs and then he stood down.

‘I understand his reasons, but it’s the second time – it happened in 2015. So it may be hasta la vista baby from him, but I don’t know how many people would support him a third time, if I’m honest.’

Pictured: Then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson addressing the nation on July 7 to announce his resignation. Now, there are whispers he could once again become Tory leader