Boris Johnson flying back to the UK to run for leader, ally says

Sir James Duddridge said yesterday: “I’ve been in contact with the boss via WhatsApp.

“He’s going to fly back. He said, ‘I’m flying back, Dudders, we are going to do this. I’m up for it’.”

Less than two months after he gave a coded message to his supporters that he would be back, the former Prime Minister was backed by dozens of colleagues, as well as current cabinet ministers, despite leaving office following a series of scandals.

In September, Mr Johnson said that “like Cincinnatus I am returning to my plough”, a reference to a Roman statesman who returned to power after leaving office.

Yesterday he was backed by at least four cabinet ministers, including Ben Wallace, who was expected by many to run for the leadership himself.

The Defence Secretary – a long-time ally – said he is “leaning towards” backing Mr Johnson, praising him for his record on investing in defence and pointing to the “huge majority” he won in 2019.

He told broadcasters: “This will be potentially our third prime minister since the general election of 2019 – that means we have to think about that legitimacy question that the public will be asking themselves, and also about who could win the next election – that’s obviously important for any political party at the time.”

Cabinet ministers Jacob Rees-Mogg, Simon Clarke and Alok Sharma were all among the Tory figures to declare their support if he entered the race.

The Levelling Up Secretary gave a joint statement alongside Ben Houchen, the Tees Valley Mayor who supported Rishi Sunak over the summer, to urge Mr Johnson to stand.

“Teesside has had difficult times and is now levelling up because of Boris. We know that for us, like Boris, the comeback will be greater than the setback,” they said.

It came after a now-deleted tweet by the Ukrainian government which said “better call Boris”, a meme based on the Netflix show Better Call Saul, with a photo of Boris Johnson’s face.

However, yesterday, several MPs suggested that, despite backing the Prime Minister for many years, they could not support his return.

Former minister Johnny Mercer, who has backed Mr Sunak, argued he could not put himself or his constituents through another Johnson administration after the “terrible” lows last time around.

“Boris is a friend of mine, I love him to bits, he’s a great guy, but I just don’t think I can put myself through that again. I don’t think I can ask my constituents to, I don’t think I can ask my staff…” he told BBC Radio 4’s PM programme.

“I love Boris to bits, and he’s got amazing qualities for this country, but it is now time for serious, competent, straight-forward and values-based governance.”

Meanwhile, George Eustice, the former environment secretary said: “I was a member of Boris Johnson’s government, I was loyal to him to the end, I wasn’t one of those who abandoned ship and resigned from his government on the final day.

“I supported him right to the bitter end, I defended him on media – day in, day out – but you can’t turn the clock back, you can’t go backwards.

“I don’t see how it’s possible for him to find a route back just two months later, to be that unifying figure when the vast majority of Conservative MPs were ready to vote to say they had no confidence in him as recently as July.”

More than half of Britons would be unhappy to see Boris Johnson return as prime minister, according to polling yesterday.

The YouGov poll of 3,429 adults on Friday suggested 27 per cent would be happy to see him return to office, compared with 52 per cent who did not like the idea.

Conservative voters were more favourable, with 25 per cent saying they would be happy and 31 per cent would be very happy.