Boris Johnson was one of the names buzzing around Westminster on Friday, as supporters of the former prime minister tipped him for a comeback to British frontline politics.
Only six weeks after leaving No 10 Downing Street, he is said to have cut short his Caribbean holiday to fly back to the UK to speak to MPs, as he considers a potential run in the race to replace Liz Truss.
Will Walden, who previously worked as Mr Johnson’s press secretary, told Sky News that the man who departed office in September was working on an October comeback.
“I've spoken to someone that's spoken to him and he's on the way back. And clearly he's taking soundings,” he said.
Mr Johnson's backers are arguing he is the only MP with a mandate from British voters to lead the country — having led the Tories to a landslide general election win in December 2019.
Mr Walden told LBC Radio that the calculation for Mr Johnson, who was prime minister from July 2019 to September 2022, “will not be what is in the national interest, it will be what’s in my interest”.
The Daily Telegraph reported that Mr Johnson was privately pressuring former chancellor Rishi Sunak to team up for a joint bid.
There are fears within Tory ranks that prolonged political upheaval could lead to an early general election, in which the party could be pummelled at the ballot box by Labour. The opposition party holds a 36-point lead in polls.
“If the Tories are serious about winning in 2024 and want to stop a general election before then, they need to revert to the guy with a mandate who is a seasoned campaigner,” an ally of Mr Johnson was quoted in The Daily Telegraph.
“They need someone to take the fight to Labour.”
However, another source told The Times that although Mr Johnson is preparing for a leadership bid, he believes it may be too soon to make a Downing Street comeback.
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Boris Johnson became UK prime minister in July 2019, left, and resigned three years later in July 2022, right. Here 'The National' looks back at his colourful time as leader of the country. Getty Images / Reuters -
Boris Johnson reads a statement outside 10 Downing Street, formally resigning as Conservative Party leader. PA -
Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie Johnson attend the National Service of Thanksgiving to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth at St Paul's Cathedral in June 2022. Getty Images -
Boris Johnson addresses the media after surviving a confidence vote in his leadership, in June 2022. PA -
Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee of Tory backbenchers, announcing that Mr Johnson had survived a confidence vote in his leadership at the Houses of Parliament in June. PA -
Mr Johnson chats with residents in a Diamond Jubilee-themed room as he makes a constituency visit to Sweetcroft care home in Uxbridge, in May 2022. Getty Images -
Boris Johnson reads the findings of the Sue Gray report into gatherings on government premises while Covid-19 restrictions were in place, in his office in No 10, Downing Street in May 2022. Photo: Downing Street -
An image of a gathering in the Cabinet Room in No 10, Downing Street in June 2020 on the prime minister's birthday was released alongside the Sue Gray report. Photo: Cabinet Office -
Boris Johnson with a Mark 3 shoulder launch missile system at Thales weapons manufacturer during a visit to Northern Ireland for talks, in May 2022 in Belfast. Getty Images -
Mr Johnson having a turban placed on his head at Gujarat Bio Technology University, during his two-day trip to India in April. Getty Images -
Mr Johnson after apologising to MPs for the 'partygate' fine he had received, in the House of Commons in April. AFP -
Mr Johnson and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy walking in central Kyiv, in April. AFP -
Mr Johnson arrives for a media interview at the Emirates Palace hotel in Abu Dhabi, in March 2022. Getty Images -
Mr Johnson speaks with officers as he makes a constituency visit to Uxbridge police station in December 2021. Getty Images -
Mr Johnson observes an early morning Merseyside Police raid on a home in Liverpool as part of 'Operation Toxic' to infiltrate county lines drug dealings in December 2021. Getty Images -
Boris Johnson during a visit to Westport Care Home in Stepney Green, ahead of unveiling his long-awaited plan to fix the social care system, in September 2021. Getty Images -
Prince Charles looks on as Boris Johnson attempts to open his umbrella at the National Memorial Arboretum in Stafford, in July 2021. Getty Images -
President of the European Council Charles Michel, US President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, Mr Johnson and Italian PM Mario Draghi pose for the leaders' official photo during the G7 summit in Cornwall, in June 2021. Getty Images -
Mr Johnson poses with his wife Carrie in the garden of No 10, Downing Street following their wedding at Westminster Cathedral, in May 2021. Getty Images -
Mr Johnson visits Hartlepool after the Conservative Party candidate Jill Mortimer won the Hartlepool by-election in May 2021. Getty Images -
Mr Johnson receives his first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine at St. Thomas' Hospital in London, in March 2021. Getty Images -
Mr Johnson smiles during a televised press conference at No 10, Downing Street in February 2021, as he announces a phased exit from the country's lockdown measures. Getty Images -
Mr Johnson gives a thumbs-up gesture after signing the Brexit trade deal with the EU in No 10, Downing Street, in December 2020. Getty Images -
Mr Johnson and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen meet for a dinner to try to reach a breakthrough on a post-Brexit trade deal, in December 2020 in Brussels. Getty Images -
Mr Johnson with a vial of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 candidate vaccine, known as AZD1222, at Wockhardt's pharmaceutical manufacturing facility, in November 2020, in Wrexham, Wales. Getty Images -
Mr Johnson drills during his visit to Exeter College in September 2020. Getty Images -
Mr Johnson holds crabs caught on the Carvela at Stromness Harbour in July 2020, during a visit to Scotland. Getty Images -
Mr Johnson holds a painting of a ladybird during a visit to The Discovery School in West Malling, in July 2020. Getty Images -
Mr Johnson and his fiancée Carrie Symonds applaud for key workers outside No 10, Downing Street, in May 2020. Getty Images -
Boris Johnson appears on monitors for a meeting in London. The prime minister chaired the morning update meeting remotely as he was self-isolating after testing positive for Covid-19. Reuters -
Boris Johnson makes a televised address to the nation from inside No 10, Downing Street, with the latest instructions to stay at home to help contain the Covid-19 pandemic, in March 2020. AFP -
Mr Johnson attends the launch of the UK-hosted COP26 Summit at the Science Museum in London, in February 2020. Getty Images -
Mr Johnson is greeted by staff at No 10, Downing Street, after meeting Queen Elizabeth II and accepting her invitation to form a new government in December 2019. PA -
Mr Johnson and his partner Carrie enter Downing Street as the Conservatives celebrate a sweeping election victory in December 2019. Getty Images -
Mr Johnson drives a digger with the words 'Get Brexit Done' inside the digger bucket through a fake wall emblazoned with the word 'GRIDLOCK', during a general election campaign event in December 2019. Getty Images -
Mr Johnson eats pie on the campaign bus in Derby, on the final day of campaigning before the general election in December 2019. Getty Images -
Mr Johnson takes a turn in goal during the warm up before a girls' football match between Hazel Grove United JFC and Poynton Juniors in December 2019. Getty Images -
Mr Johnson poses with workers as he is given a tour of Wilton Engineering Services as part of an election campaign trail stop in November 2019, in Middlesbrough. Getty Images -
Mr Johnson poses for a photo wearing boxing gloves during a stop on his general election campaign trail in Manchester, in November 2019. Getty Images -
Mr Johnson eats a rock sweet which reads 'Back Boris' during a general election campaign trail stop in Blackpool, in November 2019. Getty Images -
Mr Johnson leads a bull around a pen as he visits Darnford Farm near Aberdeen, Scotland, in September 2019. Getty Images -
Former US president Donald Trump and Mr Johnson arrive for a bilateral meeting during the G7 summit in August 2019, in Biarritz, France. Getty Images -
Queen Elizabeth welcomes Mr Johnson as the newly elected leader of the Conservative party and invites him to become prime minister and form a new government, at Buckingham Palace in July 2019. Getty Images
Mr Johnson has already been publicly supported by over 60 Tory MPs, according to the Guido Fawkes website.
Business Secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg on Friday became the first Cabinet member to come out in support of Mr Johnson, tweeting that it was “Boris or bust”.
Brendan Clarke-Smith, Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office, told Channel 4 News that Mr Johnson was a “winner” and was “very successful” in Downing Street.
“Boris Johnson is the person who could win us that next general election,” he said, as he urged MPs who may not like him to “compromise”.
Mr Clarke-Smith said his constituents had been “very, very clear” with him that they want to see Mr Johnson back in No 10.
Conservative MP Paul Bristow told Sky News he also had heard from his constituents that Mr Johnson — who found popularity in Ukraine after taking a tough line against Russia over its invasion of its neighbour in February — was the best person for the job.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has ruled himself out of the race and said he is “leaning towards” supporting Mr Johnson.
Simon Clarke, the levelling up secretary, has also come out in support of Mr Johnson.
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Liz Truss announces her resignation as UK Prime Minister outside 10 Downing Street in London. 'The National' looks at her brief time in power. PA -
Chairman of the 1922 Committee Sir Graham Brady speaks to the media in London following Liz Truss's announcement of her resignation. Reuters -
Liz Truss and her husband Hugh O'Leary walk back inside 10 Downing Street following her resignation statement. AFP -
Liz Truss during Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons in London, addressing Parliament for the first time since abandoning her disastrous tax-slashing economic policies. AFP -
Liz Truss speaks to Grant Shapps at Downing Street as he is appointed Home Secretary, after the resignation of Suella Braverman. Photo: Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street -
A mural by artist Ciaran Gallagher in Belfast is updated to reflect Liz Truss's current political troubles. PA -
Britain's new Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt announcing tax and spending measures at the House of Commons in London, with Liz Truss sitting on the bench behind him. AFP -
Liz Truss gives a speech after sacking Kwasi Kwarteng as chancellor of the exchequer. Reuters -
A protest by climate change group Extinction Rebellion in central London. Ms Truss has said the group is part of an 'anti-growth coalition' with trade unions and the main opposition Labour Party. AFP -
Ms Truss has come under increasing pressure during her short time as prime minister. AFP -
An Extinction Rebellion protest outside Downing Street on the day Mr Kwarteng was removed from the government. AP -
Ms Truss with members of the England women's football team and the European Championship trophy in Teddington, south-west London. Getty -
Ms Truss arrives for a meeting of the European Political Community at Prague Castle in the Czech Republic. AP -
Ms Truss and her husband Hugh O'Leary wave after her keynote speech at the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham. AP -
Liz Truss gives a speech at the Conservative Party Conference. EPA -
Ms Truss meets with Mr Kwarteng, chancellor of the exchequer at the time. Photo: Andrew Parsons / CCHQ -
Ms Truss and Mr Kwarteng visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham. AFP -
Ms Truss meets US President Joe Biden for talks at the UN headquarters in New York. PA -
Ms Truss delivers a speech at the 77th session of the General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York. AP -
The British prime minister holds a bilateral meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in New York. Reuters -
Ms Truss meets French President Emmanuel Macron at the UN headquarters in New York. Reuters -
Ms Truss speaks to the media during her visit to the Empire State building in New York. AP -
Britain's new leader speaks during the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth at Westminster Abbey, London. PA -
Ms Truss and her husband Hugh O'Leary observe a minute's silence at Number 10 Downing Street following the death of the queen. Reuters -
Britain's Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer and Ms Truss leave after a service for the reception of Queen Elizabeth's coffin at Westminster Hall in the Palace of Westminster. AFP -
Ms Truss joins the Speaker Lindsay Hoyle and selected MPs to take the oath and swear allegiance to King Charles III in the House of Commons chamber. PA -
King Charles during his first audience with Ms Truss at Buckingham Palace, London, following the death of Queen Elizabeth. Getty Images -
Ms Truss gives a reading during a service of prayer and reflection, following the passing of Queen Elizabeth, at St Paul's Cathedral in London. Getty Images -
The British prime minister makes a statement outside 10 Downing Street in London following the queen's death. Bloomberg -
Ms Truss speaking during her first weekly Prime Minister's Questions session at the House of Commons in London. AFP -
Front pages of a selection of British national newspapers, each leading with a story about Ms Truss becoming Britain's new prime minister. AFP -
People walk past an image in central London of Ms Truss on the side of a protest bus calling for a citizens' assembly. Reuters -
Ms Truss holds her first Cabinet meeting at 10 Downing Street. Reuters -
Ms Truss speaks at Downing Street on the day she took over as prime minister from Boris Johnson. EPA -
Ms Truss poses with her husband Hugh O'Leary at Downing Street before entering as prime minister for the first time. EPA -
Ms Truss is welcomed by staff in Downing Street as she enters the famous prime ministerial offices for the first time. Andrew Parsons / No 10 Downing Street -
New Health Secretary Therese Coffey and Number 10 staff shelter from a downpour as they wait for Ms Truss to arrive in Downing Street. PA -
Liz Truss makes a speech outside 10 Downing Street, London, after meeting Queen Elizabeth II and accepting her invitation to become prime minister and form a new government. PA -
Queen Elizabeth II greets the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party, Ms Truss, at Balmoral Castle in Scotland. The queen invited Ms Truss to become prime minister and form a new government. Getty Images
Mr Sunak has the most MPs publicly backing him to be prime minister, with more than 70. But his disloyalty to Mr Johnson while chancellor is a major turn-off for some Conservatives, particularly those on the right of the party.
He is expected to launch his second bid for No 10 on a platform of fiscal conservatism.
Leader of the House of Commons Penny Mordaunt was on Friday afternoon the first candidate to declare she was running in what looks set to be a three-horse race.
“I’ve been encouraged by support from colleagues who want a fresh start, a united party and leadership in the national interest,” Ms Mordaunt tweeted.
“I’m running to be the leader of the Conservative Party and your Prime Minister — to unite our country, deliver our pledges and win the next GE [general election].”
As Britons cry out for a new era of political and economic stability, Ms Mordaunt has reportedly held talks with Jeremy Hunt to assure him he can remain as chancellor if she wins.
With just over 20 Tory MPs backing her so far, Ms Mordaunt is behind Mr Johnson and Mr Sunak in the race. But if Mr Johnson decides not to run, she could scoop up a lot of support from his backers.
The influential 1922 Committee of backbench MPs, which oversees the Conservative leadership contest, has said that to stand, each candidate must be backed by at least 100 MPs by lunchtime on Monday.
The winner will be determined by next Friday.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said Mr Johnson was pushed out of No 10 because members of his top team “had declared that he unfit for office” and therefore it would be inappropriate for him to make a return.
More than half of Britons would be unhappy to see Boris Johnson return as prime minister, according to a poll by YouGov. The sample of 3,429 adults on Friday suggested 27 per cent would be happy to see him return to office, compared with 52 per cent who did not like the idea.
Conservative voters were more favourable, with 25 per cent saying they would be happy and 31 per cent would be very happy. However, 13 percent of Tory voters said they would be very unhappy and 8 per cent fairly unhappy.
