Senior Conservative MPs have threatened to resign from the party if Boris Johnson returns to No. 10, endangering the party’s hold on the majority in the House of Commons.
Sir Roger Gale and John Baron, two seasoned backbenchers, have both said they would break the Tory whip if the former prime minister made a startling reappearance.
Following the most recent Westminster drama, Mr. Johnson is reportedly heading home early from a family vacation in the Dominican Republic.
After Liz Truss’ embarrassing resignation, he is reportedly “taking soundings” on whether to run for the Tory leadership once again.
It has sparked worries that if Mr. Johnson—who was ousted from the party after a series of scandals only six weeks ago—wins a second term as leader, there would be a wave of resignations among Tory MPs.
At a time when one poll puts the Tories at their lowest rating ever, 39 points behind Labour, such a result may even lead to an early general election.
To overthrow the Tory government and allow for a sudden election, just around 35 MPs would need to vote against the government in a House of Commons vote of confidence.
Some Conservatives have voiced concern that an election loss may force them out of power for “a generation” due to the ongoing economic unrest and their party’s low voter approval ratings.
The ‘centrist’ element of the Conservative Party is aggressively opposing Mr. Johnson’s potential for a remarkable return.
There should be no potential of his returning to government until that inquiry is over and he is either proven guilty or not, said Sir Roger on Twitter.
The North Thanet MP also foresaw a flood of Tory MP resignations should Mr. Johnson take back the leadership position.
He admitted to Times Radio that “I believe that there would be individuals, in fact, like myself,” who would be forced to resign from the Conservative whip.
If Mr. Johnson were to retake the position of prime minister, Mr. Baron, the MP for Basildon and Billericay, threatened to resign from the Tory whip.
He said on BBC Radio 4’s PM show, “I would find it very, very difficult, nearly impossible – in fact, I would find it impossible – to serve under Boris coming back and becoming PM.”
The head of the Commons Northern Ireland Committee and MP for North Dorset, Simon Hoare, believed that Mr. Johnson had made “too many blunders” to be permitted to return.
He said on Twitter, “My honest worry/fear is that Boris Johnson just has too much baggage and “history” to ever enable the nation, Government, and Party to move on and look ahead.”
He made far too many errors. We need a brand-new page.
One of the MPs supporting former chancellor Rishi Sunak for the Tory leadership is Mr. Hoare.
David Davis, a former cabinet member, advised Mr. Johnson to “go back to the beach, really,” according to LBC.
If Mr. Johnson returns, some MPs are threatening in secret to withdraw from the Tory whip or possibly defect.
According to a former Mr. Johnson supporter, “the party will tear itself to bits under Boris.” MPs have already indicated that they would quit the whip or defect. It just won’t wash.
I will stop Boris at all costs, a another MP promised the website. His victory would spell the demise of the Conservative Party.
A recent survey by PeoplePolling had Labour at 53%, putting them 39 points ahead of the Tories, who dropped to 14%.
The Tories’ majority in the Commons might be reduced in a series of by-elections if they were struck by a flood of resignations from disgruntled MPs.
Instead, if those dissatisfied MPs choose to remain in the Commons as independents, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer may be persuaded to follow through on his calls for a general election by putting up a no-confidence motion in the House.
Convention dictates that the Government must provide parliamentary time for the motion to be discussed if the opposition leader does so.
A general election could be called if the government is defeated.