Ex-UK PM Boris Johnson says he’s willing to run again: ‘We’re going to do this’
- An ally says the disgraced leader will be back from his Caribbean holiday on Saturday to join the race to replace Liz Truss
- But some friends and former supporters say they can’t put themselves or their constituents through another Johnson administration
Britain’s Boris Johnson has said he is “up for it” and will fly back to the UK from his Caribbean holiday to attempt an extraordinary comeback as prime minister, an ally has said.
Trade minister James Duddridge said the man who stood down six weeks ago after being ousted by his own cabinet following a series of scandals has told him “we are going to do this”.
The Tory MP said Johnson will land back in Britain on Saturday and will challenge to replace Liz Truss as Conservative leader.
Duddridge, who served as one of Johnson’s parliamentary private secretaries at No 10, told the PA news agency: “I’ve been in contact with the boss via WhatsApp.
“He’s going to fly back. He said, ‘I’m flying back, Dudders. We are going to do this. I’m up for it’.”
03:45
Boris Johnson’s rise to power and what led to his downfall as UK prime minister
The MP for Rochford and Southend East was confident that Johnson will get the 100 nominations from Tory colleagues to make it to the next stage of the contest “quite quickly”.