Boris Johnson not running for British PM

Boris Johnson will not run in the race to be the next British Prime Minister, despite his supporters earlier saying he ‘clearly’ would.

Boris Johnson has announced he will not be joining the race for the British prime ministership, despite having been “overwhelmed” with supporters suggesting he run.

The former PM’s decision leaves the leadership race between Rishi Sunak and Penny Mordaunt.

While he believed he was well-placed to deliver another Conservative victory in the 2024 general election with 102 nominations, Mr Johnson said he was standing aside in the interests of party unity.

He said it would “simply not be the right thing to do” as “you can’t govern effectively unless you have a united party in Parliament”.

Johnson, 58, said he had reached out to both Sunak and Mordaunt to “come together in the national interest”.

But the three of them had “not been able to work out a way of doing this”, he added.

“Therefore I am afraid the best thing is that I do not allow my nomination to go forward and commit my support to whoever succeeds,” he said in a statement.

“I believe I have much to offer but I am afraid that this is simply not the right time.”

Boris Johnson cut short a Caribbean holiday to return to Britain for his comeback bid. Picture: Getty Images

Earlier the former PM’s supporters said he would “clearly” join the race despite his perceived shortcomings during Brexit and the coronavirus pandemic.

The ex-Conservative leader had “learnt from his mistakes” and was keen to “get everything right” the second time around, according to his core backers, The Sun reported.

But Mr Johnson’s attempt at political resurrection was decried by opposition politicians, and even some in his own party.

“This isn’t the time for Boris,” Sunak-supporting Northern Ireland minister Steve Baker told Sky News, arguing another Johnson-led government “would be a guaranteed disaster” and implode within months.

Business Secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg told the BBC that Mr Johnson had the 100 people behind him needed to be in the contest – despite only 56 publicly declaring their support.

And ally Chris Heaton-Harris, Northern Ireland Secretary, said Mr Johnson planned to formally throw his hat in the ring on Monday.

Mr Johnson has reportedly urged fellow Tory leadership hopeful Penny Mordaunt to pull out and back his campaign before he does so.

A source said she refused, warning that most of her support would switch to Rishi Sunak if she did.

Penny Mordaunt, Leader of the House of Commons, said she would rather back Rishi Sunak for PM than get behind Boris Johnson’s comeback bid. Picture: Getty Images

SUNAK A HOT FAVOURITE

Rishi Sunak, who confirmed his bid for leadership on Sunday after a failed late night summit with his former boss, has already passed the required mark to land him a spot in the final.

The ex-Chancellor, who has promised to fix Britain’s broken economy, is storming ahead in the contest with the backing of 145 named Tory MPs.

After a turbulent six weeks that saw the markets nosedive, the pound currency plummet, and debt balloon, Mr Sunak, 42, pitched himself as a safe pair of hands.

But he did so solo after talks with Mr Johnson seemingly failed to reach a resolution.

Conservative leader candidate Rishi Sunak is most likely to be replacing Liz Truss unless former leader Boris Johnson enters the race. Picture: Getty Images

Ex-finance minister Sunak vowed “integrity, professionalism and accountability” and to lead Britain out of “profound economic crisis”, which experts say has been worsened by the aborted policies of outgoing leader Liz Truss.

“I want to fix our economy, unite our party and deliver for our country,” he said in a short statement posted on Twitter confirming his widely expected candidacy.

The announcement contrasted with his last failed bid to be Tory leader, when he faced criticism for a slickly produced video launched just days after he had helped depose ex-prime minister Mr Johnson by resigning in July.

Mr Sunak is the second Conservative MP to declare a run at the top job, after cabinet member Ms Mordaunt launched her campaign on Friday.

Ms Mordaunt, who missed out on the last contest’s run-off by just eight votes, is adamant she alone is able to bring the party together.

“I’m best placed to unite our party,” the 49-year-old told the BBC, arguing she was “the halfway house” between Sunak and Truss in the summer race.

- with AFP

Originally published as Boris Johnson not running for British PM