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Boris Johnson drops out of current race for PM of UK - but will he try again in the future?

No personal remarks about any member.
 
From BBC. Comments from world leaders….

President Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Mr Johnson "really does not like us - and we [do not like] him either". He said he hoped "more professional people" who could "make decisions through dialogue" would take over in London.

Meanwhile, Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters Mr Johnson had been "hit by a boomerang launched by himself", adding that the moral of the story was "do not seek to destroy Russia".

President Volodymyr Zelensky called the prime minister on Thursday after he announced his resignation, during which Kyiv officials says the Ukrainian leader expressed his "sadness" upon hearing the news.

"Not only me, but also all of Ukrainian society which sympathises with you a lot," he is reported to have said - thanking him for the "decisive action" he has taken to help Ukraine.

The pair have developed a close relationship since the start of the war. Kyiv's foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, also praised the UK's outgoing prime minister in a statement: "We will always remember his visit to Ukraine in the still dark hour of April. Johnson is a man of no fear, ready to take risks for the cause he believes in."

In Washington, President Joe Biden praised the strength and endurance of the "special relationship" between the US and UK, avoiding any reference to Boris Johnson himself or his legacy.

"I look forward to continuing our close co-operation with the government of the United Kingdom, as well as our allies and partners around the world, on a range of important priorities," the US president added.

Guy Verhofstadt, the European parliament's former Brexit coordinator, said "EU-UK relations suffered hugely with Johnson's choice of Brexit", adding his reign was ending in "disgrace, just like his friend Donald Trump".

Michel Barnier, the EU's former chief negotiator, said Mr Johnson's departure "opens a new page in relations with" the UK - one he hoped would be "more constructive, more respectful of commitments made, in particular regarding peace & stability in Northern Ireland, and more friendly".

Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin also saw the resignation as a chance for a reset in relations with the UK. He acknowledged in an official statement that he "didn't always agree" with Mr Johnson, saying relations between the governments had been "strained and challenged in recent times".

"We have now an opportunity to return to the true spirit of partnership and mutual respect that is needed to underpin the gains of the Good Friday Agreement."
 
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A minister who quit over 'inaccurate briefings' has returned a day later.

An MP who said he had "no choice" but to resign yesterday - after "inaccurate briefings" about the Chris Pincher affair - is back in the education department a day later.

Rewinding back to Monday, Colchester MP Will Quince defended Boris Johnson, saying the PM "was not aware" of allegations made against Pincher. It was a line that unravelled, prompting Quince's departure.

Tonight Quince is on a list of new appointments, working for the same prime minister.
 
<b>No 10 announces new ministers</b>

Downing Street has just released a list of ministers it has appointed after the slew of resignations in the past few days:-

• Johnny Mercer MP to be a Minister of State (Minister for Veterans’ Affairs) at the Cabinet Office. He will attend Cabinet

• Graham Stuart MP to be a Minister of State at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

• Stephen McPartland MP to be a Minister of State (Minister for Security) at the Home Office

• Tom Pursglove MP to be a Minister of State jointly at the Home Office and the Ministry of Justice

• James Heappey MP to be a Minister of State at the Ministry of Defence

• Will Quince MP to be a Minister of State at the Department for Education

• Maria Caulfield MP to be a Minister of State at the Department for Health and Social Care

• Paul Scully MP to be a Minister of State at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. He remains as Minister for London

• Marcus Jones MP to be a Minister of State at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

• Matt Warman MP to be a Minister of State at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

• Trudy Harrison MP to be a Minister of State at the Department for Transport

• Edward Timpson CBE MP to be Solicitor General
 
S4it! What's happening in the UK?. Kinda getting scary now with all these resignations and political uncertainty.
 
PakLFC said:
S4it! What's happening in the UK?. Kinda getting scary now with all these resignations and political uncertainty.
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Not really, the Tory party does this sometimes. Did it to Thatcher.

The mistake is to allow Johnson to remain in Nimber Ten. His hands should be removed from the levers of power today, not in October.
 
James said:
<b>No 10 announces new ministers</b>

Downing Street has just released a list of ministers it has appointed after the slew of resignations in the past few days:-

• Johnny Mercer MP to be a Minister of State (Minister for Veterans’ Affairs) at the Cabinet Office. He will attend Cabinet

• Graham Stuart MP to be a Minister of State at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

• Stephen McPartland MP to be a Minister of State (Minister for Security) at the Home Office

• Tom Pursglove MP to be a Minister of State jointly at the Home Office and the Ministry of Justice

• James Heappey MP to be a Minister of State at the Ministry of Defence

• Will Quince MP to be a Minister of State at the Department for Education

• Maria Caulfield MP to be a Minister of State at the Department for Health and Social Care

• Paul Scully MP to be a Minister of State at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. He remains as Minister for London

• Marcus Jones MP to be a Minister of State at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

• Matt Warman MP to be a Minister of State at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

• Trudy Harrison MP to be a Minister of State at the Department for Transport

• Edward Timpson CBE MP to be Solicitor General
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What a shambles, these people are trusted to run the country. What a circus :))
 
Is he actually gone? Is he playing some sort of a game?
 
Boris Johnson could earn more than £3 million next year in speaking fees and book deals, experts have suggested, although his biographer warned that he may also consider running again to be prime minister.

Andrew Gimson said that Johnson would throw himself into a lucrative career of journalism and public speaking after he was forced to resign from No 10. However, he said that Johnson might not be able to resist the lure of Downing Street because he “wants it more than everyone else”.

The Times
 
MenInG said:
Is he actually gone? Is he playing some sort of a game?
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New PM will be chosen by early September, so Boris is at the helm for a few months.

He is also planning his wedding reception at Chequers later in July.

LDs and Labour in meltdown mode, they will table a motion of no confidence, but will require majority of HoC to pass, which it will not.
 
Technics 1210 said:
New PM will be chosen by early September, so Boris is at the helm for a few months.

He is also planning his wedding reception at Chequers later in July.

LDs and Labour in meltdown mode, they will table a motion of no confidence, but will require majority of HoC to pass, which it will not.
Click to expand...

His party people clearly worried

Replacing Boris Johnson as prime minister needs to be done "properly and professionally, but quickly", Education Secretary James Cleverly has told Sky News.

But the cabinet minister ruled himself out as a candidate to become prime minister after Mr Johnson's resignation effectively fired the starting gun on the Conservative Party leadership race.

Mr Cleverly also disagreed with Sir John Major's idea of skipping the vote of party activists to speed up the selection process, stressing the need to have leader who was a good campaigner, which Theresa May, having been crowned in the top job, had not been.
 
Technics 1210 said:
Fair enough, though UK gained its riches from around the world, not its doorstep, who might I add tried to destroy the UK twice in the WWs. I guess its true, keep your friends close, your enemies closer.
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You might want to take a step into the 21st century bro, we aren't fighting the garlic eating Frogs any more, Napoleon is long dead and buried, and Hitler was a wee lad a century ago. The world has moved on, your good pals the US of A got rid of racial segregation quite a while ago as well. We don't have to hold onto grudges from a different century.
 
Cpt. Rishwat said:
You might want to take a step into the 21st century bro, we aren't fighting the garlic eating Frogs any more, Napoleon is long dead and buried, and Hitler was a wee lad a century ago. The world has moved on, your good pals the US of A got rid of racial segregation quite a while ago as well. We don't have to hold onto grudges from a different century.
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You are right the world has moved on, and so should you. Globalisation is finished. Unified economic models have proven to be a failure. No need to invoke Godwin's law either, because fascism is on the rise and rampant within the EU block anyway.

Wars are not fought with bullets and bombs anymore, but through currency, and Germany has conquered the EU through the Euro. You must be naive if you think EU respect the UK, they don't. Prior to Brexit, EU made every move to destroy the UK economy, and on the most part succeeded, but post Brexit, EU is begging the UK not to attract foreign investment by reducing taxes.

It's ok though, UK is still part of Europe, geographically speaking, and your cousins across the pond protect us through NATO. :)
 
BBC saying that new Conservative Party leader will be in place “by September”.
 
Technics 1210 said:
You are right the world has moved on, and so should you. Globalisation is finished. Unified economic models have proven to be a failure. No need to invoke Godwin's law either, because fascism is on the rise and rampant within the EU block anyway.

Wars are not fought with bullets and bombs anymore, but through currency, and Germany has conquered the EU through the Euro. You must be naive if you think EU respect the UK, they don't. Prior to Brexit, EU made every move to destroy the UK economy, and on the most part succeeded, but post Brexit, EU is begging the UK not to attract foreign investment by reducing taxes.

It's ok though, UK is still part of Europe, geographically speaking, and your cousins across the pond protect us through NATO. :)
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Yes of course, it's the French and the Germans holding onto centuries old grudges, not you or glue sniffers stuck in Sunderland council estates. Why build relations with our neighbours when we can get fruit and veg virtually printed and drop shipped by Amazon warehouses in Chittagong?
 
Cpt. Rishwat said:
Yes of course, it's the French and the Germans holding onto centuries old grudges, not you or glue sniffers stuck in Sunderland council estates. Why build relations with our neighbours when we can get fruit and veg virtually printed and drop shipped by Amazon warehouses in Chittagong?
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Building relationships with neighbours is one thing, but at the cost of losing sovereignty is quite another.

But it's okay, Ben Wallace, Defence Secretary, is the current favourite to win the Tory leadership, I'm sure he will further enhance UK's relationships both with neighbours and global nations with his warmongering attitude.
 
Confirmation of more “Interim Cabinet” appointments:

• Heather Wheeler MP is to be a Parliamentary Secretary at the Cabinet Office

• Guy Opperman MP will be a Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Work and Pensions

• Julie Marson MP has been made a Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Work and Pensions, and an Assistant Government Whip

Heather Wheeler came under fire when she was last in the government for describing Birmingham and Blackpool as "godawful" places. The MP for South Derbyshire later apologised for the remarks.
 
James said:
Confirmation of more “Interim Cabinet” appointments:

• Heather Wheeler MP is to be a Parliamentary Secretary at the Cabinet Office

• Guy Opperman MP will be a Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Work and Pensions

• Julie Marson MP has been made a Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Work and Pensions, and an Assistant Government Whip

Heather Wheeler came under fire when she was last in the government for describing Birmingham and Blackpool as "godawful" places. The MP for South Derbyshire later apologised for the remarks.
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Downing Street has announced a further series of new interim ministerial appointments:

• Peter Bone has been made the new deputy leader of the House of Commons

• Andrew Griffith has been made parliamentary under-secretary of state at the Department for International Trade

• Jane Hunt is now parliamentary under-secretary of state at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

• Karl McCartney has been appointed parliamentary under-secretary of state at the Department for Transport

• James Morris has been made parliamentary under-secretary of state at the Department of Health and Social Care

• Andrea Jenkyns is now parliamentary under-secretary of state at the Department for Education

• Simon Baynes has been appointed parliamentary under-secretary of state jointly at the Ministry of Justice and the Home Office

• Steve Double has been made parliamentary under-secretary of state at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

• Amanda Solloway is now parliamentary under-secretary of state at the Home Office, and parliamentary under-secretary of state (minister for equalities) at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
 
Excellent FT article on BoJo's demise:

==

There were moist eyes around the cabinet table on Thursday as Boris Johnson began his long goodbye from British politics. “There were a few of them wiping away tears,” says one member of Johnson’s hastily assembled team. “Pathetic really. I wasn’t crying.”

Indeed beyond the loyalists clinging to the wreckage of Johnson’s broken government, there were few tears being shed among Conservative MPs after they drove out of office the man who led Britain out of the EU and who — according to his critics — dragged British politics into the mud.

After a series of scandals in which Johnson repeated the same dismal cycle of concealing the truth, retreating, then being found out, his party could take it no longer. “Enough is enough,” Sajid Javid told parliament the day after quitting as health secretary on Tuesday, a decision that triggered an avalanche of resignations which swept the prime minister away.

Johnson will remain in office, but not in power, until September, when the Conservative party elects a new leader to replace him. A lucrative career of speechmaking, journalism and book-writing lie ahead.

In some global capitals there was relief. Joe Biden, US president, could not bring himself to mention Johnson’s name in a statement on the “special relationship” after the UK prime minister announced his resignation as Tory leader.

Biden, who once called Johnson a “physical and emotional clone” of Donald Trump, was frustrated with the prime minister’s willingness to rip up his Brexit treaty with the EU — a decision, argue critics, that threatens to destabilise Northern Ireland’s Good Friday peace agreement.

“I won’t miss him,” said Bruno Le Maire, French finance minister, on Friday, echoing similar sentiments across the EU. “It proves that Brexit mixed up with populism does not make for a good cocktail for a nation.”

James Cleverly, the new education secretary and a Johnson loyalist, says the comparison with Trump clinging on to power is ludicrous. “We are not America,” he says. Yet some Conservative MPs did make the comparison, fearing Johnson could take Britain to a dark place.

The 58-year-old leader had jokingly compared his determination to cling to office to that of the Japanese soldier Hiroo Onoda, who hid in the jungle for years and refused to accept Japan’s surrender after world war two, but others did not see the funny side.

The UK prime minister had claimed he had a direct “mandate” from the British voters — MPs had to remind him that Britain is a parliamentary democracy, not a presidential system. Briefings by some of his allies that Tory MPs would have to “dip their hands in blood” to remove him evoked shudders.

In the end Johnson went quietly. There was no angry mob, just a small band of diehard loyalists applauding him in Downing Street as he announced his resignation. Johnson blamed everybody else for his misfortune — accepting no personal responsibility — then turned on his heels and disappeared behind the famous black door.

Most of the political obituaries agreed that Johnson, and his style of government, were unique in British politics. Indeed none of the contenders to replace him have anything like the flair, charisma or devilry that made him such a compelling leader.

But his departure raises questions about Johnson’s political legacy and whether — whoever inherits his crown — the next Conservative prime minister will be operating in a landscape defined by the leader known by allies as “Big Dog”.

Read more

Tax cuts vs public spending
Few doubt that Johnson will go down in British history as a highly consequential prime minister: the leader who spearheaded the campaign to rip Britain out of the EU in 2016 and then — against significant opposition — delivered on his promise to “get Brexit done”.

His 2019 general election victory delivered a Conservative majority of 80 — the biggest since the 1980s heyday of Margaret Thatcher — extending the party’s reach into constituencies that had never previously voted Tory.

“He demonstrated that there is an electoral market for Conservatives in former industrial seats in the north, midlands and north Wales that the party had almost given up on,” says David Lidington, former de facto deputy prime minister to Johnson’s predecessor Theresa May.

Although Johnson arguably had an easy task in defeating the unelectable leftwing Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn in 2019, his achievements will define the political landscape for his successor.

Brexit was the issue that helped the Tories make headway in the so-called red wall constituencies in working class parts of the north of England — the Labour party’s traditional heartland — and it is now accepted by all mainstream UK parties that there is no way back for Britain, at least not for the foreseeable future, when it comes to EU membership.

Even Sir Keir Starmer, Labour leader, this week announced that if he wins the next election he will not try to take Britain back into the EU single market or customs union and there would be no return of freedom of movement.

Britain after Boris

Starmer describes his approach as “making Brexit work” and that will be the task facing whichever Conservative politician succeeds Johnson as prime minister. Leaders in European capitals — and Biden in Washington — are hoping to see a more constructive approach.

Johnson has embedded Brexit — regarded as recently as 2015 by most mainstream politicians as a cranky obsession of Nigel Farage’s UK Independence party — as national policy, in spite of accumulating evidence of the economic damage it is causing.

Tory candidates for the leadership will have to talk tough on Europe, but some of the frontrunners — including former chancellor Rishi Sunak and foreign affairs committee chair Tom Tugendhat — are likely to seek better relations with Brussels, with a view to softening the economic harm of Brexit and resolving the Northern Ireland stand-off.

Paul Goodman, former Tory MP and editor of the ConservativeHome website, says that rightwing leadership contenders could promise to complete the Brexit project by using newfound regulatory freedoms to deliver a “Singapore Brexit” — of low taxes and light regulation — while striking tough poses on the NI protocol.

At the same time, Johnson’s success at using Brexit to open up the north of England to the Tories has created new economic facts on the ground for whoever becomes the next Conservative prime minister. First time Tory voters in 2019 are expecting to see some return on their political investment and many are still waiting.

The next Tory prime minister will need to hold on to working class northern towns — the seat of Wakefield was retaken by Labour at a by-election in June that spooked Conservative MPs — if they are to retain power after the next election, expected in 2024. That means maintaining high levels of public spending to achieve Johnson’s “levelling up” agenda.

This new political map poses a problem for wannabe leaders. To win the leadership, they have to woo a Tory electorate of around 100,000 party members who are often old, southern-based and well-off. But to hold on to national power they will have to appeal to those northern towns that Johnson promised so much to. Above all, Tory members and the Conservative-supporting parts of the media want tax cuts.

As chancellor, Sunak recognised the simple mathematical problem of delivering high public spending and lower taxes, especially at a time of high inflation and as the country counts the economic and personal cost of the coronavirus pandemic. He argued that lower taxes should be paid for by higher growth and spending cuts. Jacob Rees-Mogg, a Johnson loyalist in parliament, claimed this week that Sunak’s willingness to put up taxes to balance the books made him a “much lamented socialist chancellor”.

Johnson was about to over-rule his chancellor by offering aggressive tax cuts, probably funded by borrowing, insisting this is the way to boost growth. But Sunak quit in protest, just minutes after Javid, fearing Johnson’s short-term survival strategy risked throwing petrol on the inflationary fire.

Goodman believes the economic debate in the Tory leadership will be between those, like Sunak, who favour tax cuts funded by spending cuts, and those who want tax cuts funded by borrowing.

A third Johnson legacy is likely to be an ongoing commitment to relatively high levels of defence spending. The prime minister’s decisive response to the Ukraine crisis, including immediately arming Kyiv, has earned him rare credit abroad. Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday called him “a hero”.

Just days before his resignation Johnson urged Nato countries to honour their commitment to spend a minimum of 2 per cent of gross domestic product on defence; Britain has long exceeded that target. Johnson has demonstrated that in a post-Brexit world, the UK can leverage its relative military heft to gain foreign policy advantage.

‘It’s never his fault’

In his resignation speech, Johnson said he was “proud” of his achievements, including delivering Brexit, rolling out an effective Covid-19 vaccine programme and standing up for Ukraine. But his domestic policy agenda — including economic policy — often seemed incoherent. His day-to-day management was shambolic.

“He will go down as a significant prime minister, but not seen as good for the country,” says Lidington. “He was never any good at actually governing.” Goodman compares Johnson to a “Turkish sultan or a Tudor monarch”, ruling by whim, constantly changing his mind, with no clear strategic direction.

The departure of his controversial adviser Dominic Cummings in 2020 stripped Johnson of one of the few people in his inner circle to provide any strategic policy grip; crisis management was often the principal preoccupation of those in Downing Street in recent times.

Johnson performed numerous “resets” of his Downing Street operation, but none of them corrected the fundamental flaw: the prime minister himself. Johnson, once sacked as a Times journalist for making up a quote, at times seemed to have only a passing acquaintance with the truth.

In the wake of the partygate affair, which saw Johnson attempting to cover up the existence of parties in Number 10 during Covid lockdowns, the prime minister insisted in May that “the entire senior management has changed”. Opposition Labour MPs laughed. At the time Johnson — who was fined for breaking the law over these parties — admitted that he would never undergo a “psychological transformation” and it was this crucial fact that ultimately led to his downfall this week. Tory MPs realised that he would never change.

The final scandal to topple Johnson centred on an incident last week in which a senior Conservative party politician — the deputy chief whip, Chris Pincher — drunkenly groped two men at a private members’ club. Pincher resigned but Johnson faced questions about why he had appointed him in the first place.

As with partygate, Johnson’s first instinct was to conceal the truth, telling his official spokesman and cabinet ministers to trot out the line that he was unaware of previous “specific allegations” that Pincher was involved in sexual misconduct.

It was not true and Johnson’s lies — predictably — were soon exposed. In a decisive intervention on Wednesday, the former top civil servant at the Foreign Office, Lord Simon McDonald, revealed that Pincher had been investigated after a similar incident in 2019 while he was a minister in the department. The complaint had been upheld and prime minister Johnson had been briefed, in person.

The revelation prompted an outpouring of Tory frustration and anger with the leader, and more than 50 government resignations. Javid said that ministers were fed up with being asked to lie on Johnson’s behalf, adding in a letter to the prime minister that “the values you represent reflect on your colleagues, your party and ultimately your country”.

Johnson retreated to his bunker, scorning efforts by once-loyal cabinet ministers on Wednesday night to persuade him to resign with some dignity. Instead the prime minister’s final hours with full executive authority were spent exacting revenge.

Michael Gove, who jointly led the Brexit campaign with Johnson in 2016, was sacked at 9pm for his alleged treachery after he privately advised the prime minister to quit. Gove, the levelling-up secretary, who had betrayed Johnson when he made his first bid for the Conservative party leadership in 2016, was branded “a snake” by the prime minister’s allies.

“Revenge is a dish best served cold,” says one friend of Johnson. “That was done out of pure pleasure — final revenge for what he did in 2016.”

After Boris Johnson, Britain needs a different kind of politics

By that stage Johnson was struggling to find people to fill the ever-increasing number of ministerial vacancies. He slept on the issue and at 6am on Thursday he began drafting his resignation speech.

He used it to blame Conservative MPs for making the “eccentric” decision to get rid of him, claiming he had been trampled underfoot by a “herd” of panicking colleagues. “He’s clearly very angry because it’s never his fault,” says one former cabinet minister.

Johnson’s resignation was greeted with huge relief among his colleagues. “Thank God,” said one cabinet minister, as the prime minister signalled the end of his turbulent three-year reign.

McDonald, ousted by Johnson from the Foreign Office for his supposedly anti-Brexit views in 2020, on Thursday evening tweeted a picture of a glorious summer sunset over the gothic towers of Westminster with the simple words: “It was a good day.”

https://www.ft.com/content/a2839a82...ft?token=6dc0adc1-3e16-492a-af05-c79feb0a74bc
 
TRwJuQp.png
 
In the grand surroundings of Chequers that were enjoyed by 19 of his predecessors, Boris Johnson is considering his political future.

The Prime Minister has retreated with his wife Carrie and their two children to the 16th-century grace-and-favour home in the Buckinghamshire countryside that they will soon lose the privilege of using.

After a week that saw his own MPs and Cabinet revolt and force him from office, Mr Johnson is now thinking of leaving politics altogether.

Following a run of by-election defeats in southern Tory seats, Mr Johnson has decided he cannot force a by-election in his marginal constituency of Uxbridge and South Ruislip.

But two well-placed sources said he is now deciding whether to follow in the footsteps of his immediate predecessor, Theresa May, and remain in the Commons, or to stand down at the next election.

Mr Johnson has taken the betrayal of many of his own ministers “in sorrow, not in anger”, and is described by aides as mournful he cannot finish the job he set out to achieve in 2019.

— The Telegraph
 
Labour to table motion of no confidence in government

The Labour Party is set to table a motion of no confidence in the government today - with a vote expected on Wednesday.

If a majority of MPs vote with the motion, a general election could be triggered - though this is not certain.

However, any Conservative voting against the current government would potentially remove their own party from power and rule out the next leader of the party being the new prime minister.

==

How will a vote of no confidence work?

With Labour tabling a motion of no confidence today, it is worth having a look at how the process works.

First of all, it's worth noting that this vote is different to the one Boris Johnson won earlier this year.

That was held only among Conservative MPs, while the newly tabled one will be voted on by all MPs.

Dr Alice Lilly from the Institute for Government said: "The precise wording would matter here - and that's up to Labour.

"Would it just indicate no confidence? No confidence in the government under Johnson? Would it expressly call for an election?"

A no confidence motion in the government from the official Opposition must be heard - although it is less clear if the vote is on just Boris Johnson.

It is decided on a simple majority - so 50% of MPs in the House of Commons plus one more.

A defeat of the motion would show the Conservative Party back Mr Johnson to stay as PM until a new leader is chosen.

If the motion is passed, the consequences would depend on the wording, as Dr Lilly said.

It is possible the government resigns and someone else is asked to form a government. With the Tories having such a large majority, this would likely be someone else from their benches.

Another outcome would be a dissolution of Parliament and a general election.

Again - this is dependent on the wording of the motion.

So this vote will boil down to Conservative MPs deciding if they are happy to let Mr Johnson continue as PM until the new leader is announced on 5 September - or whether they want to get rid of him and risk an election and losing power to Labour.
 
Michael Gove has described his sacking last week by Boris Johnson, calling the PM “very equable, very polite” during the call.

BBC political editor Chris Mason asks Gove about a Number 10 source reportedly calling him a “snake”.

The former levelling up secretary says he'd not given “a second’s thought” to why he was called that.

BBC
 
Government has offered Labour time to have a traditional confidence vote, sources say

Sky's political correspondent Tamara Cohen has been told by sources that the government has offered Labour time to have a traditional confidence vote tomorrow if they want one.

Labour tabled the motion yesterday with the expectation that it would be accepted and debated today in line with parliamentary convention.

The party said the decision to refuse it was "totally unprecedented".

However, a government spokesman said at the time the request would not be granted until the wording of the motion was amended: "We have given Labour the option to table a straightforward vote of no confidence in the government.

"They have chosen to play politics by tabling a vote of no confidence in the government and the prime minister. As the prime minister has already resigned and a leadership process is under way we do not feel this is a valuable use of parliamentary time.

"Should Labour amend their motion appropriately, they can have the next business day for it to be debated.
 
The government has tabled a no confidence motion in itself after blocking Labour’s bid to remove Boris Johnson from office immediately.

It means MPs will vote on whether they still have confidence in the prime minister's administration, despite him stepping down from office in a few weeks.

Labour's request was for a confidence motion in the government and the prime minister and could have triggered a snap general election.

But the government accused the opposition of "playing politics", claiming it was not "a valuable use of parliamentary time" because the PM has already resigned.

The move today means the government is able to control the wording of the motion and means Tory MPs will be more likely to vote with the government.

A government spokesperson said today: "Labour were given the option to table a straightforward vote of no confidence in the government in keeping with contention, however they chose not to.

"To remedy this we are tabling a motion which gives the House the opportunity to decide if it has confidence in the government.

"The government will always allow time for appropriate House matters while ensuring that it delivers parliamentary business to help improve people's everyday lives."

SKY
 
About 30 Conservative MPs, including Rishi Sunak, were already queuing outside Committee Room 10 in the Palace of Westminster when voting began at 13:30 BST in the first round of the Conservative leadership contest.

A total of 358 Tory MPs are eligible to cast a ballot. Voting ends at 15:30. The result of the first round is expected at 17:00.

BBC
 
<b>Mordaunt into the lead</b>

Penny Mordaunt is the clear favourite among Conservative Party members to replace Boris Johnson and she would beat all of her rivals in a final head-to-head contest, a new poll has suggested.

A YouGov survey of the Tory grassroots found more than a quarter - 27 per cent - said Ms Mordaunt is the candidate they most want to be the next leader.

Kemi Badenoch was a distant second place with 15 per cent support, followed by Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss who both secured 13 per cent backing.

The poll also suggested that Ms Mordaunt would defeat all of her rivals if she makes it to the final round when the two remaining candidates will face a vote of the party membership.

Ms Mordaunt's toughest challenge would seemingly come from Ms Truss - but she would still win comfortably. Some 55 per cent of members said they would pick Ms Mordaunt in that head-to-head contest while 37 per cent would pick Ms Truss.
 
James said:
<b>Mordaunt into the lead</b>

Penny Mordaunt is the clear favourite among Conservative Party members to replace Boris Johnson and she would beat all of her rivals in a final head-to-head contest, a new poll has suggested.

A YouGov survey of the Tory grassroots found more than a quarter - 27 per cent - said Ms Mordaunt is the candidate they most want to be the next leader.
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Wonder if the MPs will knock Mordaunt out of the race to deny their members the opportunity to vote for her?
 
Mordaunt has worked her entire life for this moment, she even briefly worked for Bush campaign.
 
IMO Johnson should be tried for Treason.

In the UK, the Novichok attack of 2018 is viewed as a botched assassination attempt.

NATO took a harder line. Though only one British citizen died, there was enough nerve agents to kill thousands. NATO viewed this as a chemical attack on a civil population and met to discuss it. 350 Russian diplomats were expelled from NATO and NATO-allied states across the world. The then British Foreign Secretary left the confidential meeting with papers, managed to give his security detail the slip, flew to Italy alone and met with an ex-Colonel of the KGB. Then gave said ex-Colonel’s son a peerage.

At the very least he was severely compromised. Profumo lost his job for far less.
 
Labour has called on Boris Johnson to "turn up for work" after the prime minister missed two COBRA meetings on the heatwave and is set to be absent from a third briefing today.

Shadow communities secretary Lisa Nandy said the prime minister has "clearly clocked off" since announcing his resignation, adding: "And so have many of his ministers in his government."
 
MenInG said:
Labour has called on Boris Johnson to "turn up for work" after the prime minister missed two COBRA meetings on the heatwave and is set to be absent from a third briefing today.

Shadow communities secretary Lisa Nandy said the prime minister has "clearly clocked off" since announcing his resignation, adding: "And so have many of his ministers in his government."
Click to expand...

Limited sympathy with this view. Labour have publicly been calling for him to go for months, and now they have their wish. They must have surely anticipated that he would completely check out early given his less than stellar record in this area.
 
James said:
Limited sympathy with this view. Labour have publicly been calling for him to go for months, and now they have their wish. They must have surely anticipated that he would completely check out early given his less than stellar record in this area.
Click to expand...

Arguably, the country is in better shape with him bunking off.
 
For a prime minister in the death throes of his premiership, Boris Johnson was full of life in the Commons this afternoon.

There was a sense he was attempting to make his MPs regret ousting him by delivering an especially bombastic performance.

He spoke of sending the "great blue Tory ferret" up the "trouser leg" of the Labour Party in the last general election and claimed his government "saw off Brenda Hale" – a reference to the now retired Supreme Court judge who delivered the damning verdict against the government over the prorogation of parliament in 2019.

For some loyal MPs it worked.

"We will ask ourselves what have we done to a man who gave us an 80-seat majority", said veteran Tory Sir Edward Leigh.

One of the prime minister's potential successors, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, sat at his side smiling and nodding along.

It was just hours ago she was attacking his administration's economic record and refusing to raise her hand when asked if she'd offer him a place in her cabinet.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer also seized on the Conservative infighting of recent days, quoting back attack lines from last night's vicious Tory leadership debate.

There's no chance that the government will lose tonight's confidence vote.

But amid the blue-on-blue blood bath currently engulfing the party, the vote tonight will be a largely irrelevant show of unity.
 
Downing Street insists Boris Johnson will step down

A Number 10 spokeswoman has insisted Boris Johnson will step aside as prime minister once a new leader is chosen.

It comes after Tory peer Lord Cruddas said the prime minister "does not want to resign" and wants to "carry on" (you can read more on this in our previous post).

Downing Street said in response: "The prime minister has resigned as party leader and set out his intention to stand down as PM when the new leader is in place."
 
BBC debate on now, and both these leaders are clueless, talking about paying off UK’s national debt.

Saying this, Truss has stated immediate cuts if she is in power, Sunak is just a snake dodging the questions.
 
Tory leadership debate: Five key moments from Truss-Sunak clash

Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss have gone head-to-head for the first time in a live TV debate hosted by the BBC after a week of increasingly personal attacks.

One of them will be the next Tory leader - and the UK's next prime minister - voted in by members of the Conservative Party.

In an hour of testy exchanges covering economic policy, China and even earrings - what were the standout moments?

Were they nice to each other?

The short answer is no (even if they sometimes pretended).

Within minutes, the two candidates were at loggerheads - and once again it got very heated, with multiple interruptions.

Mr Sunak needs to make up ground if the polls are to be believed. He tried to get on the front foot and make the case for his cautious economic strategy right away, accusing Ms Truss of risking a huge increase in interest rates with her plans to cut tax immediately.

He repeatedly came back to this, accusing his rival of wanting a short-term sugar high, which would be followed by an economic crash.

Ms Truss disputed Mr Sunak's claim and argued she'll start paying back debt within three years. She accused him of "scaremongering" (more on the Brexit rhetoric later).

Both candidates did try to be nice at certain points. Mr Sunak said he admired Ms Truss.

She said he had good dress sense (after her supporter, Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries, questioned the price of Mr Sunak's wardrobe - and contrasted it with Ms Truss's budget earrings).

Despite the dress talk, there is a real battle for the ideological soul of the Conservative Party and there is a lot at stake. One of these two candidates will be prime minister in just over a month.

But tonight was another example of how split the two candidates are on the party's future.

A friendly exchange of ideas this was not - and you can see why some senior Conservatives are nervous about long-term damage being done to the party.

The battle over the economy and tax

With inflation at a 40-year high, economic policy has become the main battleground in this increasingly fractious leadership contest.

Taking a combative tone, Mr Sunak and Ms Truss attacked each other's tax plans, producing some of the most explosive moments of the debate.

Ms Truss has pledged about £30bn in immediate tax cuts, arguing they would boost economic growth, while Mr Sunak has said he would only slash taxes once inflation was under control.

Ms Truss said the UK was heading for a recession if the country followed Mr Sunak's economic plans.

Visibly peeved and shaking his head at that, Mr Sunak shot back with a bullish retort. He insisted the tax burden - the highest for 70 years - was the result of the unprecedented levels of government spending needed to keep the economic afloat during the Covid-19 pandemic.

On Ms Truss's tax plans, Mr Sunak said: "I don't think that's right, I don't think that's responsible, and I certainly don't think it's Conservative."

Squabbling ensued, with both candidates talking over each other, prompting moderator Sophie Raworth to intervene.

Clamping down on China - and TikTok

A big debate on foreign policy has been on the UK's relationship with China. Mr Sunak and Ms Truss have been warning about the threat from the state. But they've also been clashing on who came to that conclusion first.

It got heated here, too.

Mr Sunak has been calling for a clampdown on Confucius Institutes in the UK. He denied having a dig at Ms Truss on this (she was an education minister when some of them opened).

But he did suggest she had been on a "journey" when it came to China - arguing she had previously argued for a golden age in relations.

Significantly, Ms Truss said she would like to see a clampdown on Chinese-owned companies like TikTok.

There weren't any details - but many will be asking what measures she would introduce as prime minister. But she also tried to call out Mr Sunak - arguing that he was a recent convert to a clampdown on China. She said the Treasury had wanted closer ties when he was chancellor.

Read more:

Brexit rhetoric returns

Mr Sunak backed Brexit. Ms Truss backed remain, but has since become an enthusiastic supporter of life outside the EU.

What was striking tonight was that Ms Truss used some of the language of the Leave campaign. In response to questions about her economic plans, she accused Mr Sunak of "scaremongering" and "Project Fear".

That isn't just borrowing from the referendum handbook - it's a direct lift from the campaign.

Mr Sunak was having none of it - reminding Ms Truss that he backed Leave, and so knew all about Project Fear.

The spectre of Boris Johnson

Speak to Tory MPs and many will admit their constituents aren't happy Mr Johnson is standing down.

The spectre of the cabinet mutiny that brought the prime minister down is going to be a feature of the next few weeks.

Mr Sunak is seen by some as betraying the prime minister. As a result, many of Mr Johnson's allies don't want the former chancellor to succeed him.

Mr Sunak said tonight he was proud of the work he did in government, and resigning was a difficult decision he had made on principle.

Ms Truss has the backing of some Johnson loyalists. She flagged tonight that she was an early backer of Mr Johnson and praised the "brilliant job" he did winning the 2019 general election.

Significantly, she said tonight that the "mistakes" he made in office should not have brought him down.

The debate ended with the quickfire round and the final question was: what marks would you give Mr Johnson out of 10.

Ms Truss said seven and then after some prevarication Mr Sunak came out with 10/10 for delivering Brexit - to some applause.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-62252242
 
A total of 11 government whips have announced they are backing Liz Truss's campaign to become the next Conservative leader in the latest blow for rival Rishi Sunak.

Work and Pensions Secretary Therese Coffey, herself a supporter of the foreign secretary, revealed the move in a graphic posted on social media on Tuesday morning.

The government whips declaring their support for Ms Truss are Sir David Evennett, Stuart Anderson, Adam Holloway, Suzanne Webb, Joy Morrissey, Gareth Johnson, Scott Mann, Craig Whittaker, David TC Davies, James Duddridge and Rebecca Harris.

Chief Whip Chris Heaton-Harris is yet to announce who he is backing.

Tories fined by Electoral Commission - Politics latest

Mr Heaton-Harris said on 8 July: "The whips' office will stay neutral throughout the Conservative Party leadership contest."

But this policy has been lifted, with Mr Mann clarifying in a statement on social media that "the government chief whip has removed the requirement to remain publicly neutral as the leadership contest enters the last stages".

Liz Truss with Scottish Conservative Leader Douglas Ross during a campaign visit to the BenRiach Distillery in Speyside, as part of her campaign to be leader of the Conservative Party and the next prime minister. Picture date: Tuesday August 16, 2022.
Liz Truss suggests Labour's energy plan is 'sticking plasters' on problem of soaring bills

Mr Mann added: "I have worked with Liz in the Treasury and seen first-hand how she deals with complex situations, and I believe her vision for the country and domestic policy platform is best placed to take us forward."

Mr Whittaker referred to the "shackles" being lifted and said it is "a privilege" to back Ms Truss.

While Mr Anderson added: "I am now able to publicly declare who I support, and I am pleased to announce that I am backing Liz Truss.

"I have worked with Liz Truss on many occasions during the past few years. I believe that her economic position, her commitment to increasing defence spending to 3% of GDP, and her parliamentary experience make her the best option to lead our country."

A spokesperson for the whips' office said: "The chief whip has allowed whips to declare their leadership allegiances since the contest moved out of Parliament.

"This follows the chief whip allowing for whips to inform their local members of their personal preference.

"The chief whip and the deputy chief whip are remaining neutral."

SKY
 
Liz Truss is set to win the Tory leadership contest by a decisive margin next month, according to an exclusive Sky News poll that gives the foreign secretary a 32-point lead over rival Rishi Sunak.

The poll also shows that the legacy and personality of Boris Johnson is likely to loom large over the next prime minister as there is huge regret among Tory members over the decision to oust him in July.

The YouGov survey suggests 66% of members are voting for Ms Truss and 34% are backing Mr Sunak, once those who do not know or will not vote are excluded.

The race has tightened very slightly since a YouGov poll of members poll just over two weeks ago, when Ms Truss had a 38 percentage point lead.

SKY
 
Voting has closed in the Conservative leadership contest - bringing an end to a long and bitter summer of campaigning.

Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss have spent the past six weeks battling it out to persuade Tory members that they have what it takes to run the party - and the country - after Boris Johnson resigned.

The foreign secretary looks set to win the contest, though the former chancellor did receive a warm reception at the final hustings in London's Wembley Arena on Wednesday night.

Who will be the next PM? Watch and follow live from 12.30pm on Monday as Boris Johnson's successor is announced

But many members say they feel neither candidate has what it takes to deal with the unenviable in-tray of reuniting the party while getting to grips with a worsening cost of living crisis and the war in Ukraine.

Former MEP for East of England, David Bannerman, said Labour's lead over the Tories has widened since the leadership contest started - and he would have preferred Mr Johnson to stay on.

"If you look at the polls, we are in a different position now and whoever takes over has a hell of a mountain to climb, that's the general feeling of the membership," he said.

"On balance, most wanted to keep Boris and have no contest."

Mr Bannerman, 62, said he was supporting Ms Truss because of her policies, accusing Mr Sunak of having "no new ideas".

"If you are going to dispose of a prime minister, you have to have different policies, not more of the same."

Polling has suggested that a large majority of Conservative Party members prefer Mr Johnson over his two potential successors.

Mr Sunak - the underdog in the contest - appears to be paying the price for his role in bringing down the Johnson administration when he dramatically resigned as chancellor in July.

Alex Stewart-Clark, a 60-year-old from Scotland, said he threw his weight behind Ms Truss as soon as Defence Secretary Ben Wallace ruled himself out of the race.

He summed up the feeling of many disgruntled party members when he said: "Rishi Sunak was given the best job in politics after the prime minister, and he threw it away less than three years later when he stabbed Boris Johnson in the back."

However, some members were more forgiving of the former chancellor.

Anita Asudera, 54, and Neelam Kumar, 57, from London, are voting for Mr Sunak despite also being fans of Boris Johnson.

They said it was right he resigned when he did, and Mr Sunak's record during the pandemic has convinced them he can deal with the cost of living crisis.

"I really like him and I like what he stands for," said Ms Kumar.

"When the nation went into lockdown he did his best and I don't think he gets enough credit for what he did."

Other voters had more mixed emotions.

Keith Maynard, from Peterborough, said he was glad to see the back of Boris Johnson because "those who make the rules shouldn't break them".

However, he does not think the party have put the best people forward to replace him.

The 68-year-old said he would have preferred Kemi Badenoch to take over as she had "fresh ideas" such as delaying the net zero target.

He said he would be voting for Ms Truss "reluctantly" because she is "the better of the two".

Luke Caldecott, a 25-year-old from Wrexham, gave a more stinging criticism.

"I think they are both rubbish, a lot of members are very apathetic towards the two final candidates," he said.

"Lots of people I have spoken to are saying they are worried, because they don't feel inspired and think they are useless."

Mr Caldecott said he believed a fresh face like Ms Badenoch or Penny Mordaunt would have had more appeal to red wall voters like himself and the wider public.

His views were echoed by Andrew Humphrey, a 43-year-old from Leigh-on-Sea. He also said he would be "reluctantly" voting for Ms Truss because she has more cabinet experience than Mr Sunak, but Tom Tugendhat and Penny Mordaunt were his preferred choices.

"I don't feel they [Sunak and Truss] are the best two candidates," he said. "We are in danger of rehashing the same people for the same jobs."

Mr Humphrey urged whoever wins to put "fresh faces" in the cabinet and get rid of "dead wood" to give the Conservatives a fighting chance at the next election.

John Strafford, 79, went a step further and said the party needs "radical change or risk going down the tubes".

He said he wants to see the party become more democratic, saying he did not like Boris Johnson but members should have had a say in his fate.

And the Kemi Badenoch supporter said he would have liked to have seen four candidates make it to the final stage for members to choose from.

"I doubt if I will pick either of them," he said of the final two candidates.

However, it wasn't all negative.

There was a lot of enthusiasm for Mr Sunak following the hustings. One undecided member said the former chancellor had convinced him he could deal with the cost of living crisis, whereas Ms Truss offered "platitudes".

Even Truss supporters had positive things to say about his performance.

Harriet Gould, a 39-year-old from Cambridgeshire, said she was leaning towards Ms Truss because of her cabinet experience but she thought both candidates were "excellent" and it would be a difficult choice.

Nick Rogers, a 37-year-old from southwest London, agreed - saying he thought Ms Truss had the "steel" to deal with the cost of living crisis and war in Ukraine, but members had "two strong candidates to choose from".

Mr Strafford's wife Caroline said - despite being the underdog in the competition - she felt Mr Sunak performed better.

"I think Boris Johnson was a disastrous prime minister," she said.

"[Rishi Sunak] is better placed to deal with the cost of living crisis."

SKY
 
One thing is consistent with the Tories, sex scandals! The outgoing PM was found cheating on his wife, while the incoming Truss had an affair with her mentor and senior Tory MP Mark Fields.

It's a long list for the Tories in just the last few years alone....
- Matt Hancock affair,
- Charlie Elphicke is found guilty of three counts of sexual assault,
- Rob Roberts suspension for inappropriate behaviour,
- David Warburton suspended after a series of allegations relating to sexual harassment and cocaine use,
- Imran Ahmad Khan is found guilty of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old boy,
- Neil Parish watching porn during sessions in the house of commons
- Chris Pincher, the Conservative deputy chief whip & serial groper

Can't wait to see what a Truss cabinet has in-store for the tabloids!
 
Either Liz Truss or Rishi Sunak will be crowned the next Conservative Party leader and prime minister of the UK later today, after a gruelling summer contest.

The pair have spent the past six weeks battling it out to persuade Tory members that they have what it takes to run the party - and the country - after Boris Johnson resigned.

But the nation is now hours away from finding out which of the pair have won the keys to Number 10.

At around 12.30pm, the returning officer for the Conservative leadership election - chairman of the 1922 committee of backbench MPs, Sir Graham Brady - will announce the result of the contest.

Who will be the next PM? Watch and follow live from 12.30pm on Monday as Boris Johnson's successor is announced

Mr Johnson will then later this week make his return to the Tory back benches, while the victor of the leadership race will be looking ahead to appointing their top team after visiting the Queen in Balmoral.

On the eve of the announcement, Ms Truss - who has been widely tipped to defeat rival Mr Sunak for the majority of the contest - promised to unveil a plan to deal with the energy crisis within a week if she becomes PM.

Boris Johnson could make political comeback, ally Lord Lister hints and says 'never write him off'

The foreign secretary refused to go into any detail on what this might be like, but speculation is mounting she is considering freezing energy bills for millions of households.

The Daily Telegraph reports she is planning such a freeze in order to halt "energy Armageddon".

And Sky News' political editor Beth Rigby understands from political and Whitehall sources that - if she wins the leadership contest - Ms Truss will announce a package of support that is going to be bigger than perhaps expected.

"I think it will be a shock and awe moment," a senior ally of Ms Truss said.

"Knowing Liz well, she'll want a big bang package bigger than people expect and that won't just about energy, it will be about resisting Treasury orthodoxy. She'll want to show the public she hears them."

There have been ever-louder calls in recent weeks for the government to intervene to support the most vulnerable, with energy bills set to rise to around £3,500 this winter for the average household.

Meanwhile former chancellor Mr Sunak, who has described himself as the "underdog" for much of the campaign, reiterated that he would continue on as an MP if he loses the election during an interview with the BBC.

He also did not rule out running for the leadership again if he does not win this time around.

The interviews came as the two contenders were warned that the next prime minister faces the second most difficult brief since World War Two.

Speaking to Sky News' Sophy Ridge on Sunday, senior Tory David Davis said whoever inherits the keys to Nunber 10 faces the second most difficult post-war in-tray, after Margaret Thatcher.

Mr Johnson will officially remain in post until his replacement formally takes office on Tuesday.

For the first time ever in her reign, the Queen will receive Mr Johnson at her Scottish residence Balmoral, in Aberdeenshire, due to ongoing health concerns.

There, Mr Johnson will formally tender his resignation.

It will be followed by an audience with the new Tory leader, where she or he will be invited to form a government.

Later in the week the new PM is expected to give a speech outside Downing Street, appoint their cabinet and other ministerial aides and will take part in their first session of Prime Minister's Questions against Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer.

Read more: What time is the result and what happens next?

Mr Johnson has sought to use his final weeks to outline what he perceives to be his legacy from his time in Downing Street.

He has been hesitant to discuss his future plans for when he leaves Number 10, but asked what sort of ex-PM he would be, the current PM told reporters on Thursday: "I think only time will tell is my answer on that one.

"But my intention and what I certainly will do is give my full and unqualified support to whoever takes over from me.

"Otherwise, really to get on with life."

Read more: Who is in the running for top jobs in the next government?

Meanwhile, a close ally of Mr Johnson hinted that this may not be the end of his career in frontline politics.

Lord Edward Lister was asked on Sky News' Sophy Ridge on Sunday about reports some MPs were experiencing "seller's remorse" over Mr Johnson's departure and want him to make a comeback.

He said Mr Johnson was "the best prime minister we've had", adding: "I think he would continue to be a good prime minister. I think he would be very successful in a further general election."

When asked if he might be tempted to make a comeback, Lord Lister added: "Well, maybe in the future, I'd never say never on anything with Boris Johnson, anything is possible in the future."

SKY
 
A cabinet minister has told Sky News they believe Boris Johnson could secure the 100 nominations he needs from Conservative MPs to progress in the Tory leadership race if he were to stand.

Jacob Rees-Mogg became the first cabinet minister to publicly declare his backing for the former prime minister this morning, posting on social media: "I'm backing Boris #BorisorBust."

Ben Wallace, the defence secretary, ruled himself out of the race and said he is "leaning towards Boris Johnson". He warned that colleagues "have to focus" on who will bring unity and be able to win the next election.

Three names emerge in Tory leadership contest - Politics latest

The second leadership contest in three months got under way yesterday after the extraordinary resignation of Liz Truss, who was forced from office after 44 days in which her tax-slashing mini-budget crashed and burned.

Speculation is mounting that Mr Johnson could launch a comeback to frontline politics, six weeks after he was officially ousted from the top job.

It is believed Mr Johnson is on holiday in the Dominican Republic, but reports suggest his return to the UK is imminent.

Will Walden, former press secretary to Mr Johnson, told Sky News: "I've spoken to someone that's spoken to him and he's on the way back. And clearly he's taking soundings."

Party rules for the leadership contest mean hopefuls need the backing of at least 100 Tory MPs by Monday afternoon to stay in the race.

This means the maximum number of people able to stand is three. If three candidates get 100 backers, there will be a vote by MPs, with the top two put forward to the party membership and a winner chosen by Friday 28 October.

Should Tory MPs coalesce around one candidate, however, the contest will be over on Monday.

'Boris riding to rescue'

Asked about Mr Johnson's chances at a second run for office, one cabinet minister told Beth Rigby, Sky News' political editor: "I'd expect him to get to 100.

"Even people who resigned from his government were on the terrace yesterday telling colleagues they would now back him and members definitely will."

A friend of Mr Johnson also told Sky News that it is "likely" he will stand.

Sir Christopher Chope, the veteran Tory backbencher, told Sky News he's "excited" by the possibility of Mr Johnson returning to No 10.

"The news that Boris Johnson might be riding to the rescue of the country and the Conservative Party is really a great tonic," he said.

'Not the character'

Although multiple Tory MPs have expressed their support for a Johnson comeback, he remains a divisive figure.

Foreign Office minister Jesse Norman said selecting Mr Johnson as Conservative leader would be "absolutely catastrophic".

Sir Roger Gale, the senior backbencher, reminded voters in a tweet that the former prime minister, who resigned in a mire of sleaze, remains under investigation by the Commons privileges committee for potentially misleading the House over partygate.

If found guilty, Mr Johnson could face recall proceedings and potentially lose his seat in a by-election if he receives a suspension of 10 days or more.

Sir Roger told Times Radio that, if Mr Johnson is voted back in as prime minister, he would give up the whip and stand as an independent.

While Crispin Blunt told Sky News Mr Johnson is "not the character" to lead the Conservative Party at this time - but said he could return in the future.

The divided Tories won't find it easy choosing a new PM

Who else could run?

Rishi Sunak, runner-up to Ms Truss in the previous leadership race, and Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt are considered the frontrunners alongside Mr Johnson if they choose to stand.

Mr Sunak, the former chancellor, has signalled he is "very, very up for the job", according to Sky's deputy political editor Sam Coates.

Former cabinet ministers Dominic Raab and Robert Jenrick are among those who have backed Mr Sunak.

Ms Mordaunt has also made it "clear in her public appearances that she's up for the job" and has been backed by former cabinet minister Andrea Leadsom and others.

Jeremy Hunt, the new chancellor, has ruled himself out of the running.

Suella Braverman, who resigned as home secretary on Wednesday, was highly critical of Ms Truss when she stepped down - an indication, her allies believe, of her intention to run.

Opposition parties say that, whoever is handed the keys to Downing Street, a general election must be called immediately.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said Mr Johnson is "unfit to govern" and that the British people "deserve so much better than this revolving door of chaos".

SKY
 
More than half of public would be unhappy if Boris Johnson returned as prime minister

As Boris Johnson considers whether to join the leadership race, this poll could be a blow to his chances.

The latest YouGov polling shows 52% would be unhappy with Mr Johnson returning - with 43% saying they would be very unhappy, and 9% fairly unhappy.

Some 27% said they would be happy with his return, while 18% didn't know.

Another issue for Mr Johnson is that 71% said they believed he knowingly lied about breaking lockdown rules.

The former prime minister is currently under investigation by the Commons privileges committees over whether he lied to Parliament over lockdown parties - which could result in him being suspended as an MP.

SKY
 
On his way...

==

Boris Johnson has been pictured by Sky News making his way back to the UK.

The former prime minister has been on holiday in the Dominican Republic but is set to return to London after telling an ally that he will run to lead the country again.

He is flying back in economy alongside his wife and children, and the picture was taken by Sky's Michael Herd.

Mr Johnson and his family boarded the plane before everyone else - and according to our US correspondent Mark Stone, there was a "mixed reaction".

He reports that several passengers looked "slightly bewildered" and there were a few boos, adding: "Mr Johnson is sitting in economy, quite near the back of the plane, with his wife and children - one of his children climbing on top of him.

"He's in a suit, his head forward, deep in thought, but moments before that one of his children was climbing on top of him - a family coming back from their holidays."

Our correspondent added that the former prime minister has been in the Dominican Republic for the past two weeks - and there had been much speculation about when he would return.

SKY
 
So he has been on holiday for two weeks on a Caribbean island while Parliament has been actively in session, and is now flying back in economy to try and get a jonny-come-lately second term as PM? Never changes does he this guy. Lazy, slapdash and last-minute as ever. It’s almost comical how characteristically shameless and barefaced he is.
 
If Boris struggles to get 100 by Monday, he could give his votes to Mordant.

Alternatively if Boris hits 100, I can see Mordant giving her votes to Boris.

Once it goes to the wider membership, they will most likely vote Boris.
 
James said:
So he has been on holiday for two weeks on a Caribbean island while Parliament has been actively in session, and is now flying back in economy to try and get a jonny-come-lately second term as PM? Never changes does he this guy. Lazy, slapdash and last-minute as ever. It’s almost comical how characteristically shameless and barefaced he is.
Click to expand...

Yeah, didn't you know, Boris planned Trojan Truss' resignation while on holiday.
 
Technics 1210 said:
Yeah, didn't you know, Boris planned Trojan Truss' resignation while on holiday.
Click to expand...

The point is that Parliament is in session and he’s not even in the country. There are many recess periods (this isn’t one) and he is shirking his duties for a fortnight as an MP even. It’s classic Johnson.
 
James said:
The point is that Parliament is in session and he’s not even in the country. There are many recess periods (this isn’t one) and he is shirking his duties for a fortnight as an MP even. It’s classic Johnson.
Click to expand...

As the Ex-PM he was entitled to leave.
 
Boris Johnson has pulled out of the Conservative leadership race.

His withdrawal leaves the path open for Rishi Sunak, who has a chance of picking up the keys to Downing Street as early as today.

The former prime minister had the public backing of 59 Tory MPs - far short of the 100 required to be included on the ballot.

After a mad dash back from his Caribbean holiday, a flurry of canvassing, secret summits with rivals Rishi Sunak and Penny Mordaunt, and a significant pro-Johnson air war campaign, Boris Johnson announced shortly before 9pm on Sunday night he was not going to go for being PM again after all.

It was the most Boris Johnson way of admitting defeat: I am a winner who could deliver a Conservative victory in 2024, I have the numbers (he claimed 102 supporters), I could do it if I wanted to, but now is not the time.

Mr Sunak has more than 150 backers, a significant lead over Penny Mordaunt, who has 25.

If both of them secure support from at least 100 MPs by this afternoon, Conservative Party members will have the chance to vote for their preferred candidate.

We'll find out at 2pm who has made it on to the ballot - and if Mr Sunak is the only one to reach this threshold, he will automatically become the UK's third prime minister this year.

Boris Johnson is thought to be preparing a leadership bid, while Penny Mordaunt announced she was running on Friday
Mordaunt rejects request from Johnson to back him, sources day

In his statement, Mr Johnson said he had "cleared the very high hurdle of 102 nominations", but came to the conclusion that "this is simply not the right time".

Mr Johnson also said there was a "very good chance" he could have been back in No 10 by the end of the week if he had stood.

However, he said he had "reached out" to leadership rivals Mr Sunak and Ms Mordaunt to see if they could work together in the national interest, but it had not proved possible.

Mr Johnson added that although he was "attracted" to run because of the support from his colleagues, "you can't govern effectively unless you have a united party in parliament".

In response, Mr Sunak tweeted: "Although he has decided not to run for PM again, I truly hope he continues to contribute to public life at home and abroad."

One of Mr Johnson's key allies told Sky's political editor Beth Rigby that he had said he thinks two-thirds of the party are against him and that he would be unable to govern like Liz Truss.

Another ally said the anti-Johnson coalition in parliament is "very loud" and "very motivated".

The first Johnson backer to publicly switch to Mr Sunak was Nadhim Zahawi, the former chancellor, who tweeted "a day is a long time in politics".

He had only endorsed Mr Johnson on Sunday morning.

SKY
 
James said:
The point is that Parliament is in session and he’s not even in the country. There are many recess periods (this isn’t one) and he is shirking his duties for a fortnight as an MP even. It’s classic Johnson.
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He is the laziest man.

No service ethic at all. Just wanted the big shiny desk and to be centre of attention.
 
James said:
So he has been on holiday for two weeks on a Caribbean island while Parliament has been actively in session, and is now flying back in economy to try and get a jonny-come-lately second term as PM? Never changes does he this guy. Lazy, slapdash and last-minute as ever. It’s almost comical how characteristically shameless and barefaced he is.
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Had he started negotiations sooner he would have had better backing and more MPs would have signed up as the Tories traditionally do, back the winner. Instead puts in a last minute effort, bring together a few close friends and try his luck.

Fell flat on his face and now tries to play the nobleman. He's just so lazy!
 
Robert said:
He is the laziest man.

No service ethic at all. Just wanted the big shiny desk and to be centre of attention.
Click to expand...

To deal with the pressure of such a role, sometimes such a laid back attitude may be needed to ensure stability.

Plus he loves England in a way Rishi cannot and our mortgages were still manageable thanks to his shrewd leadership and economical panache.
 
shaz619 said:
To deal with the pressure of such a role, sometimes such a laid back attitude may be needed to ensure stability.

Plus he loves England in a way Rishi cannot and our mortgages were still manageable thanks to his shrewd leadership and economical panache.
Click to expand...


You mean Sunak's economic panache!
 
shortbread said:
Had he started negotiations sooner he would have had better backing and more MPs would have signed up as the Tories traditionally do, back the winner. Instead puts in a last minute effort, bring together a few close friends and try his luck.

Fell flat on his face and now tries to play the nobleman. He's just so lazy!
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Boris literally started when Truss resigned and was the first to get the support of 100 MPs.

Obviously some deal was struck between him and Sunak.
 
shortbread said:
Had he started negotiations sooner he would have had better backing and more MPs would have signed up as the Tories traditionally do, back the winner. Instead puts in a last minute effort, bring together a few close friends and try his luck.

Fell flat on his face and now tries to play the nobleman. He's just so lazy!
Click to expand...

Funny to see his supporters very quickly backtracking.

Nadhim Zawahi was particularly amusing. He resigned as chancellor, told Boris he had to go. Backed Boris once Liz had left and then when Boris decided not to run he quickly switched to Rishi.

These people have no moral or ethics.
 
DeadlyVenom said:
Funny to see his supporters very quickly backtracking.

Nadhim Zawahi was particularly amusing. He resigned as chancellor, told Boris he had to go. Backed Boris once Liz had left and then when Boris decided not to run he quickly switched to Rishi.

These people have no moral or ethics.
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Priti Patel another one.

This will not unite the conservatives at all, with further divisions will be formed.

Only way forward is back the public. GENERAL ELECTIONS.
 
shaz619 said:
Are the Boris fans upset? Sunak could be PM on Diwali of all days!
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I don’t understand Boris Fans.

Does he make them feel better about themselves? The relentless optimism? The racism? The Islamophobia? He makes it ok to say “what everyone is thinking but can’t due to wokeness”?
 
It's funny how LD supporters cling on to Islamophobia/Racism/Misogyny of the Tory party, when the Tory party has had brown/blacks/Muslims in the highest positions of office (CE and HS), and is the only party ever to have a female PM, THRICE.

LD and their supporters should be banned for supporting racism within the LD party and for of course tried for treason.
 
Last edited:
The Asian/Liberal electorate are to blame, because this lot vote for colour/gender and not policies.
 
Robert said:
I don’t understand Boris Fans.

Does he make them feel better about themselves? The relentless optimism? The racism? The Islamophobia? He makes it ok to say “what everyone is thinking but can’t due to wokeness”?
Click to expand...

It is highly likely that Boris could be their dad :))

I saw a lookalike on Sky have an absolute meltdown it is hilarious to see LOL
 
His wiki page is hilarious, widely rumoured to be wearing a wig but denies this lol
 
Nadine Dorris apparently had a meltdown to when Boris couldn’t get enough support the pleb, his supporters are in mourning how embarrassing lmao
 
<b>Boasts and bitterness: how Boris Johnson’s bid to return as PM fell apart</b>

“I would think twice. Having been led up to the top of the hill and then back down all the way again. Twice now,” says one Boris Johnson backer, Michael Fabricant, about the idea of supporting him again.

Fabricant was one of Johnson’s many supporters among Tory MPs who were taken aback by the announcement at 9pm on Sunday that he was not standing to be Tory leader.

Nadhim Zahawi, the Cabinet Office minister, even had an opinion piece published in the Telegraph that had to be swiftly deleted as news emerged of Johnson’s withdrawal. Further pieces from other supporters – including Priti Patel – were still being written by aides at the time.

Johnson’s plaintive statement blaming Rishi Sunak and Penny Mordaunt for shunning a deal with him, and holding out the prospect of a political return at the “right time”, was found to be bitterly disappointing for many of those who had spent the weekend advocating for him.

As Johnson scrambled back from his Caribbean break, by Saturday morning a small campaign team of dedicated volunteers had assembled, and the numbers of supporters were being collected by the former chief whip Chris Heaton-Harris.

From Friday, allies were briefing that the 100 nominations threshold would be reached “easily”, and they spent hours texting journalists that all his backers were “verified” and ready to be submitted.

Meanwhile, volunteers were writing op-eds for his backers and creating social media memes. His MP backers were all over the airwaves, with Jacob Rees-Mogg saying Johnson was “clearly” going to stand.

However, there was an ominous silence from some in his innermost circle.

Although his most fervent supporters could not see them, the signs were there over the weekend. Johnson had only gained eight new public backers since Friday. He was ringing round colleagues begging them to back him, holding out the prospect of sticking to the pledge of spending 3% of national income on defence and claiming that Sunak would also be implicated by the privileges committee inquiry into Partygate.

Briefings that Johnson was seeking a unity pact first with Sunak and then with Mordaunt appeared to show a lack of confidence that he could make it alone.

He addressed a Zoom meeting of his MPs early on Sunday morning with characteristic enthusiasm, but had still not formally launched a campaign.

While he was largely building up support from the most rightwing and fringe members of the party, it was happening on a much smaller scale than in his last leadership bid.

A source working on the Johnson campaign said they had been “on the back foot” since the leadership contest began in earnest on Thursday, given that Johnson had had to scramble home from a remote location abroad.

Reluctant MPs were citing concerns about the privileges committee’s investigation into whether Johnson misled MPs, and scepticism that he would be able to unite the parliamentary party.

His allies now believe Johnson will await the result of the privileges committee inquiry before making a decision on his future in parliament and the feasibility of another comeback.

In the meantime, his lifestyle, part-funded by Tory donors such as the Bamfords, looks set to continue, with more photos from the beach and appearances on the international speakers’ circuit expected.

And it seems unlikely he will be a major thorn in Sunak’s side in Parliament — at least for the moment.
 
The inquiry into the handling of the pandemic has asked to see Boris Johnson's WhatsApp messages from when he was prime minister.

Hugo Keith KC, counsel for the inquiry, revealed that thousands of documents had been asked for

We have sought agendas, minutes and other documents associated with the core decision-making forum such as Cabinet meetings, Cobra meetings and ministerial implementation groups," he said.

"We've asked for ministerial submissions, Number 10 daily briefing documents, records of written and oral advice to ministers and details of internal communications including a WhatsApp group, which included the prime minister, Number 10 and other senior officials."

The inquiry has requested evidence for its second part, which will scrutinise political decisions and actions in relation to the pandemic between early January 2020 and February 2022, when the remaining COVID restrictions were lifted.
 
Former PM Boris Johnson has confirmed he will attend the COP27 climate conference in Egypt next week after being invited by the organisers.

His successor at No 10 Rishi Sunak has been under pressure to attend, after initially saying he was too busy preparing for the budget.

But it now looks increasingly likely that Mr Sunak will go after all.

His official spokesman said "significant progress" was being made on the financial statement.

No 10 said it would provide an update if Mr Sunak's travel plans change.

The 27th meeting of the Conference Of the Parties (COP) due start in Sharm El-Sheikh on Sunday.

Sunak could still attend COP27 climate summit
World leaders including US President Joe Biden and France's Emmanuel Macron are due to gather at the venue on Monday.

Mr Sunak's predecessor Liz Truss had been set to go when she was PM and Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will also be at the event.

Speaking to Sky News, Mr Johnson said he had a "particular interest" in going to the United Nations conference, which aims to get international agreement on reducing carbon emissions.

Mr Johnson claimed it had "become unfashionable" to talk about the previous COP conference that was held in Glasgow last year.

He argued that the UK-hosted COP "was a fantastic global success" which was "doing a huge a mount of good for the planet".

Mr Johnson said he wanted to use his appearance in Egypt to "talk a little bit about how I see things and how we see things in the UK".

Putin weapons
The UK is the current holder of the COP presidency, after hosting the summit in Glasgow last year.

Alok Sharma, the UK's COP26 president, is among those saying the prime minister to go.

Mr Johnson also used his Sky interview to say Russian President Vladimir Putin "would be crazy" to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine.

Mr Johnson said using a nuclear weapon would mean Mr Putin "would immediately tender Russia's resignation from the club of civilised nations".

The former UK leader said it would be a "total disaster" for Russia, which would be put into a "cryogenic economic freeze". Mr Putin would also "lose a lot of the middle ground of global tacit acquiescence that he's had", Mr Johnson added.

BBC
 
Boris Johnson: Former PM announces plans to stand at next election

Boris Johnson has told his local Conservative Party he will stand again as an MP at the next general election, the BBC has been told.

The Conservatives have given their MPs until 5 December to confirm whether they wish to contest the next election - which must be held by early 2025.

So far, 11 Tory MPs have announced they will not stand for re-election.

There had been suggestions Mr Johnson would stand down from Parliament after he was ousted as prime minister.

MPs can still stand down before the next election without letting the party know ahead of time.

In October, Mr Johnson ran to replace Liz Truss as prime minister and passed the threshold of 100 nominations from his parliamentary colleagues, only to withdraw from the race hours before the deadline.

Mr Johnson has been the MP for Uxbridge and Ruislip in west London since 2015. He was elected to the seat while still serving as mayor of London.

The next election will be the fourth time he has run to represent the constituency.

Mr Johnson has a 7,210 vote majority after securing a 1.8% swing to the Conservatives at the 2019 election.

On 5 December, the Boundary Commission will end its consultation on new constituency boundaries for the next election. Conservative campaign headquarters has asked Tory MPs to confirm if they plan to stand for re-election before then.

Under current proposals, Mr Johnson could gain support when his constituency is redrawn to absorb some new Tory leaning areas.

Levelling Up minister Dehenna Davison, Chloe Smith, the former work and pensions secretary, and Will Wragg, the chair of the public administration select committee, have all said they will stand down.

The Uxbridge and South Ruislip Conservative association said it "fully supported Boris Johnson as our local MP and candidate at any future election".

Association chairman Richard Mills added: "We look forward to continuing to work alongside him to deliver for the residents and communities within the constituency, where he has strong connections and involvement."

BBC
 
Wouldn’t shock me if he is the leader of the Tory party by the next GE :))
 
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