- Sam Francis
- Political Correspondent, BBC News
image source, Reuters
Boris Johnson announced his resignation last July, although he remained in office until early September.
Boris Johnson, who was forced to step down as UK Prime Minister by his own government three months ago, has become one of the favorites to return to the post.
His successor, Liz Truss, is now installed 45 days He announced his resignation on Thursday after spooking financial markets and forcing him to drop most of his political programs.
A second term for Johnson would be an unusual turnaround, even for a politician who has made spectacular comebacks before.
image source, Good pictures
Liz Truss resigned after 45 days as head of the British government.
Johnson’s final months as prime minister were marked by accusations that he broke ministerial rules by not telling the truth about parties in Downing Street while Covid restrictions were in place.
Johnson It is under investigation by the Parliamentary Standards CommitteeThis could, in theory, lead to his suspension from Parliament or expulsion as an MP.
Weighs the idea
Johnson has yet to officially announce his candidacy.
Rishi SunakA narrowly defeated leader in the fight against Liz Truss a few weeks ago, the candidate could pass the minimum support (100) among Conservative MPs this Friday, for which he is emerging as one of the favourites. .
image source, Reuters
Rishi Sunak has already secured the necessary support among conservative MPs to aspire to the leadership of the party.
Another contender who announced his candidacy is the minister Benny MordantHe came third in the last leadership election.
Another sounding name for controversy Chemie PatenochDespite not winning, it was a surprise in the last race for the position.
Will Walton, Johnson’s former press secretary, told Sky News the former prime minister was “clearly testing” his candidacy.
In his last appearance at a control session as prime minister last July, Johnson signed a “See you later, baby.”.
It could have only thrown a stronger hint that it’s not over if the Terminator had used another signature line from the movies: “I’ll be back.”
No election required
Johnson won the 2019 general election and, under British law, the party in power can change leaders without calling a new election.
Truss is elected by members of the Conservative Party, who will have the final say on the future leader if there are two candidates left after a parliamentary vote.
image source, Reuters
Minister Jacob Rees-Mogg, one of Johnson’s most loyal supporters, has launched a social media campaign to get the former prime minister back in Downing Street, and dozens of Conservative MPs have publicly pledged their support.
Defense Secretary Ben Wallace, a leading figure in the Conservative Party, told the BBC he was “leaning” towards backing Johnson.
The weight of the July crisis
The party’s leadership rules state that candidates running on Monday afternoon must have the support of at least 100 Conservative MPs.
Johnson has no small task given that 148 peers came against him in a confidence vote in June, followed by the resignation of nearly 60 ministers a month later.
image source, Good pictures
Boris Johnson has been hit by a wave of resignations in the final days of his government.
Following Johnson’s dismissal of sexual misconduct allegations against Chris Fincher, he was named the party’s No. Resignations piled up following his appointment as 2.
On 5 July, two senior ministers resigned within minutes of each other, including then Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak, who left the government on the grounds that Johnson was “neither competent nor serious”.
Johnson served two days in office before announcing his resignation.
But before the joint resignation, pressure grew over Johnson’s handling of parties held in Downing Street during pandemic lockdowns.
He was one of 83 people fined by police for illegal parties, including a birthday party for Johnson.
opponents
Questions about his integrity and personal conduct dogged Johnson. Will parliamentarians who were intolerant 6 weeks ago accept it now?
image source, Good pictures
MP Roger Gale has said he will resign as leader of the Conservative Party if Johnson is elected Prime Minister.
Gale, a frequent critic of Johnson, suggested Times Radio That other peers are threatening to do something similar.
Conservative MP Jesse Norman, a friend of Johnson’s, said: “Electing Boris now, after careful consideration, would be an absolutely devastating decision.”
4 times Johnson bounced back
- In 1987, Boris Johnson was fired from the newspaper The Times For rigging a date, but he was hired the following year The Daily Telegraph Correspondent in Brussels.
- In 2004, he was sacked as a minister in the opposition Conservatives for lying about an affair, but returned to the limelight a year later.
- In 2016, he withdrew from his first bid for Conservative party leader and prime minister after his close friend Michael Gove also ran, but made a surprise comeback as chancellor in the winning Theresa May government.
- In 2018, he resigned from May’s government in protest over her Brexit deal, returning as party leader the following year and winning a landslide majority in the general election.
The opposition was quick to condemn the suggestion of Johnson’s return.
Labor leader Keir Starmer said the former prime minister was “not fit” for the job.
Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon called Johnson’s return a “ridiculous suggestion”.
Johnson has been described as the “British Berlusconi” by the Liberal Democrats, who are trying to block his reinstatement as prime minister through a motion in parliament.
image source, Good pictures
Who will be the next resident of Downing Street?
“Johnson has the advantage”
The former prime minister has kept a surprisingly low profile since leaving office. He spoke very little in the House of Commons and spent the last few weeks on a US speaking tour before going on holiday.
But as his biographer Andrew Kimson points out, Johnson did not lead a “life of unsullied gloom.”
If only one candidate gets the necessary votes in parliament, the fight will be over on Monday; Otherwise, a new leader will be elected by a vote of party members on Friday, October 28.
Polls in the final days of Liz Truss’ administration show Johnson as the most popular successor.
Patrick English, associate director of opinion polling firm YouGov, said: “The Conservatives are calling for someone who can bring unity and reform the party to run against Labor leader Keir Starmer.”
“If you ask members who that person could be, it would be Boris Johnson,” English said.
“If Johnson makes the final nomination, he has an advantage.
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