Andrew MacAskill and Muvija M
LONDON (Reuters) – Boris Johnson is flying back to Britain as he considers a bold attempt to win a second term as prime minister . Forced to step down, some colleagues warned that his comeback could cause more political chaos.
The potential candidate to succeed Prime Minister Liz Truss, who resigned sharply on Thursday after just six weeks in power, is embarking on a frantic weekend of lobbying to secure a deadline on Monday Get enough nominations to enter the leadership contest.
Johnson, who was on holiday in the Caribbean when Truss resigned and has not said anything publicly about bidding for his old job, has the backing of dozens of Conservative MPs but needs to get 100 Nominations will be considered.
Trade Secretary James Dudridge said Friday that Johnson had told him he was “ready.”
Johnson was booed by some passengers on the flight to the UK, acc gave orders to Sky News reporters on the flight expected to arrive in London on Saturday morning.
It would be an extraordinary political resurrection for the former journalist and London mayor, who stepped down amid scandal but complained that his colleagues “changed midway through the game” Rules” – tap
Former defence secretary Penny Mordault became the first candidate to formally announce his intention to run for the next Conservative leader, but Johnson’s former finance minister Richie Rishi Sunak leads potential contenders ahead of next week’s vote. Split after sending away four prime ministers in six years.
For some Conservative MPs, Johnson is a vote winner, not only on the strength of his fame but also on a national appeal with his vibrant brand of optimism.
For others, Johnson is a toxic figure and the question is whether he can convince the dozens of lawmakers who ditched him that he is now the one who can unite the party and reverse its malaise.
‘Death Spiral’
Conservative MP Andrew Stephenson said Saturday that Johnson is a “proven prime minister” who delivered Brexit , is able to boast about the rapid rollout of a COVID- 19 vaccine and is one of Ukraine’s most vocal proponents.
But his colleague Andrew Briggan said he would consider resigning from the parliamentary bloc if Johnson returned, and warned the Conservatives against developing a “cult of personality” around the former prime minister. Dominic Raab, the foreign minister under Johnson, said the party risked “backwards” if he returned.
Former Conservative leader William Hague said on Friday that Johnson’s return may be the worst idea he has heard as a party member in nearly half a century. He said it would lead to a “death spiral” for the Conservative Party.
If Johnson can secure the required number of nominations, he is likely to go head-to-head with Sunak, who in July claimed his former boss could not make the tough Decide.
Sunak was the first leadership candidate to meet the 100 nomination threshold to enter the race ahead of Monday’s deadline, according to media reports. Johnson currently has about half the support.
Johnson is currently being investigated by the Parliamentary Privileges Committee to determine whether he lied to the House of Commons about a party that violated the lockdown. Ministers will be asked to resign if they are found to have deliberately misled Parliament.
The race to become Britain’s fourth prime minister in four years has accelerated and is only a week away. According to the rules, only three candidates will be able to participate in the first round of ballots by lawmakers on Monday afternoon, and the final two candidates will be put on the ballot by party members by next Friday.
