UNITED STATES: After being expelled by his MPs, Boris Johnson is “hoping to do a Berlusconi” and make a “populist return” to Downing Street, claims a former Conservative cabinet member.
According to Rory Stewart in an interview, people need to be reminded that Boris Johnson was forced to resign due to a number of problems because some of his followers wanted him to “come back.”
Many of Boris Johnson’s supporters think that after his successor in office, his adversaries will regret removing him from office and will dismiss the low polling as the midterm blues.
However, some Conservative MPs have privately expressed worries that the party may be on track to lose the next general election as a result of the harm caused by Johnson, as seen by a string of byelection defeats and the fact that the party hasn’t held a poll lead since December 2021.
In the 2019 Tory leadership contest, Stewart, Johnson’s opponent, referred to Johnson as “dangerous” and claimed that “there are those who want him back.”
“I think we need to remind people why he departed,” he continued. He ought to have left much earlier. What he did was risky and extremely shameful.
Stewart compared Johnson to other ousted presidents and expressed concern that Johnson may return to frontbench politics, saying: “He’s attempting to do an Imran Khan or a Berlusconi.” He’ll be hanging around, waiting for a populist comeback.
After a career marred by scandal, former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, 85, has declared his intention to run for office again in the elections scheduled for next month. Imran Khan, a former Pakistani prime minister, has also declared his intention to run again after losing a no-confidence vote earlier this year.
Some Johnson backers believe those who turned against him may later regret their decision.
Johnson may want to follow in the footsteps of Churchill, who served as prime minister twice, according to a former aide to him at No. 10.
The source speculated that Truss could have to run for leadership herself before the next election because “he believes with most Tories that Liz is highly likely to be a disaster.”
“Parliamentarians and members alike would find that a rejuvenated and perhaps more contrite Boris offering optimism after much darkness appeals to them.”
Michael Fabricant, a Conservative lawmaker, stated: “I’ve been talking about ‘buyers’ remorse’ for a while now, or those ministers who bought into the argument that Boris Johnson must go. In the upcoming months, this might get worse”.
According to a government source, Boris Johnson would initially “concentrate on establishing his international image rather than Westminster games,” but he would not fully vanish from the local political scene.
The privileges committee investigation into whether Johnson misled parliament by repeatedly denying Covid regulations were broken during parties in Downing Street may determine whether Johnson gets another chance at leadership.
One Conservative MP, Laura Farris, resigned from the committee of seven during the summer. When the Commons reconvenes, she must be formally removed from her position.
According to sources, it would be difficult to find someone to take her place who wouldn’t be accused of prejudice for whatever prior comments they may have made regarding Partygate. However, a few backbencher Tory MPs maintain a low profile and have little online activity which could be contacted.
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