Boris Johnson ‘has given up on being PM’ as he fears lack of support from Tory MPs will mean ‘humiliation’ in leadership contest
- Boris Johnson has apparently told friends he will not be humiliated in a contest
- His last attempt to be Tory leader in 2016 ended in an embarrassing disaster
- Ex-foreign secretary currently seen as among leading rivals to Theresa May
Boris Johnson (file image) has abandoned his hopes of being Prime Minister as he fears ‘humiliation’ in any contest, it was claimed today
Boris Johnson has abandoned his hopes of being Prime Minister as he fears ‘humiliation’ in any contest, it was claimed today.
The former foreign secretary is widely seen as the leading agitator against Theresa May’s leadership after more than a decade of signals he wants the top job.
But since his return to the Commons in 2015, Mr Johnson has also appeared short of a large base of support amongst Tory MPs – despite his ties to the Brexiteer European Research Group following his resignation from Cabinet in July.
Mr Johnson’s only previous attempt at becoming Tory leader ended in disaster.
Having called an event to launch his bid in alliance with Michael Gove, his Vote Leave comrade turned against him at the 11th hour, launching his own challenge and branding Mr Johnson not up to the job.
The former London Mayor quit the race before formally entering it.
Friends of Mr Johnson told the Sun he would not risk embarrassment a second time.
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One said: ‘If Boris think the chances are against him, he won’t go for it. He deosn’t want to be humiliated by coming fourth or fifth’.
Mr Johnson still hopes to be ‘in the mix’ for a Cabinet post under whoever succeeds Mrs May as Tory leader and Prime Minister.
Sources close to Mr Johnson insisted to MailOnline the claim was wrong, adding he had always ‘advocated a change of policy, not leader so there is no vacancy’.
since his return to the Commons in 2015, Mr Johnson (pictured at Tory conference last month) has also appeared short of a large base of support amongst Tory MPs – despite his ties to the Brexiteer European Research Group following his resignation from Cabinet in July
Mr Johnson is widely seen as the leading agitator against Theresa May’s (pictured in Downing Street last night) leadership after more than a decade of expectation he wants the top job
The claims come amid revelations David Cameron wants a surprise return to the cabinet because he is ‘bored s***less’ and has his eye on becoming Foreign Secretary.
The former Prime Minister is said to be hoping for a return to front-line politics after a new Tory leader succeeds Theresa May post-Brexit.
But the reaction by MPs has been largely negative with former cabinet colleague Iain Duncan-Smith admitting he is still ‘pretty unhappy’ he quit No 10 in July 2016 after losing the referendum because he ‘should have seen it through’.
Mr Cameron was famously called a ‘t***’ by actor Danny Dyer who was branded a hero for saying the ex-PM had ‘scuttled off’ after the EU referendum and said he was now holidaying in Nice ‘with his trotters up’.
Since resigning he has spent much of his time writing his book in a £25,000 shed in his Cotswolds garden.
But at 52 it appears he is ready to return with source close to Mr Cameron said he would not rule out going back to Westminster if a future Tory leader asked him.
Having called an event to launch his bid (pictured) in alliance with Michael Gove, Mr Johson’s Vote Leave comrade turned against him at the 11th hour branding him not up to the job
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