Boris Johnson expected to run in the Tory leadership contest
Boris Johnson is expected to stand in the Tory leadership contest next week, with sources close to him saying he thinks it’s in the “national interest” for him to run.
The Times is reporting that Johnson’s allies are taking soundings within the Tory parliamentary party and that he will likely put himself forward as a candidate.
Johnson lost the confidence of Tory MPs in July after a series of scandals about his personal integrity, and was forced to resign under the weight of more than 60 ministerial resignations.
The former PM is currently on holiday in the Caribbean with his family, however he soon may be jetting back to prepare for next week’s contest.
He has been backed in from 20/1 to 3/1 with Ladbrokes to be the next Prime Minister.
Tory MP James Duddridge today tweeted: “I hope you enjoyed your holiday boss. Time to come back. Few issues at the office that need addressing.”
Tory backbencher Paul Bristow also told Sky News that he would also back Johnson if he runs.
The leadership contest is expected to start early next week and will end on Friday, after Liz Truss announced her resignation as Prime Minister today.
She has been in office for just 44 days and will go down as the shortest-ever serving leader of this country.
It came after a sensational collapse of of confidence in her premiership from within the Tory party, after her mini-Budget tanked financial markets, she sacked two senior cabinet ministers and she U-turned on her entire economic platform.
Rishi Sunak and Penny Mordaunt, who came second and third respectively in the summer’s Tory leadership contest, are both expected to also stand for the leadership.
Sir Graham Brady, chair of the 1922 Committee, said the contest will start and end next week. The rules have not yet been set, but he said the “expectation” is that grassroots members will get a say on their next leader.
Recent polling of Tory party members has shown Johnson is overwhlemingly the most popular choice to lead the party.
If Johnson runs it will come with the backdrop of a parliamentary investigation into whether he misled the House of Commons over partygate.
Johnson may be forced to resign as an MP if the committee finds that he did.