Boris Johnson returns to UK in bid for rapid political comeback

LONDON, Oct 22 (Reuters) – Boris Johnson returned to Britain on Saturday as he considers an audacious try to win a second time period as prime minister solely weeks after he was compelled to step down, with some colleagues warning his comeback might create extra political chaos.

Potential candidates to substitute Prime Minister Liz Truss, who stop on Thursday after six weeks in workplace, have been embarking on a frantic weekend of lobbying to safe sufficient nominations to enter the management contest earlier than Monday’s deadline.

Johnson, who was on vacation in the Caribbean when Truss resigned, has not commented publicly a few bid for his previous job. He has obtained the assist of dozens of Conservative lawmakers, however wants to safe 100 nominations to be thought-about.

Trade division minister James Duddridge stated on Friday Johnson instructed him he was “up for it”. He stated on Saturday Johnson had secured 100 nominations, though a Reuters tally put him on about 40, whereas the tally confirmed former finance minister Rishi Sunak, for now the bookmakers’ favorite, had exceeded 100.

Only former defence minister Penny Mordaunt has formally declared she is going to run, though a Reuters tally confirmed she solely had 22 nominations to this point earlier than Monday’s 1300 GMT deadline.

The subsequent prime minister, a submit that may have modified palms thrice in 4 years, faces an enormous inbox after Truss’s financial plans hammered bond markets, raised authorities borrowing prices and added extra strains on households and companies already battling a cost-of-living disaster.

Johnson was booed by some passengers on the aircraft to Britain, in accordance to a Sky News reporter on the flight which arrived in London on Saturday morning.

Wearing a darkish jacket and backpack, Johnson waved to photographers at London’s Gatwick Airport earlier than driving away.

It could be a surprising comeback for the previous journalist and ex-Mayor of London, who left Downing Street shrouded in scandal, saying fellow social gathering lawmakers “changed the rules halfway through” to forestall him serving a full time period.

POLARISING

The prospect of one other Johnson premiership is a polarising difficulty for many in the Conservative Party, which is deeply divided after seeing off 4 prime ministers in six years.

For some Conservative lawmakers, Johnson is a vote-winner, in a position to enchantment throughout the nation along with his superstar picture and model of energetic optimism. For others he’s a poisonous determine who would battle to unite the social gathering and so would possibly undermine efforts to construct a steady management to calm rattled monetary markets.

Former inside minister Priti Patel stated her previous boss had “the mandate to deliver our elected manifesto and a proven track record getting the big decisions right.”

Andrew Bridgen, one other Conservative lawmaker, stated he would possibly resign from the parliamentary group if Johnson returned and instructed Conservatives not to create a Johnson “personality cult”.

Former Conservative social gathering chief William Hague stated Johnson’s return would lead to a “death spiral” for the social gathering.

If Johnson can safe sufficient nominations, he might go head-to-head with Sunak, who stop as his finance minister in July, saying his former boss was unable to take powerful choices.

Johnson is at present underneath investigation by parliament’s Privileges Committee to set up whether or not he lied to the House of Commons over lockdown-breaking events. Ministers discovered to have knowingly misled parliament are anticipated to resign.

The contest has been accelerated to take solely per week. Under the principles, solely three candidates can be in a position to attain the primary poll of lawmakers on Monday afternoon, with the ultimate two put to a vote on Friday that’s restricted to about 170,000 signed up members of the Conservative Party.

Reporting by Andrew MacAskill; Additional reporting by Henry Nicholls; Editing by Edmund Blair and Christina Fincher

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