Boris Johnson, the man ousted as UK prime minister by his own government just three months ago, has emerged as an early front-runner to be the next prime minister.
A second Johnson premiership would be an extraordinary turnaround even for a politician who has made miraculous comebacks before.
The last time anyone returned to the office of prime minister after losing the leadership of their party was 140 years ago, when William Gladstone returned to lead the Liberals – although some party leaders have had two stints as PM, including Sir Winston Churchill and Harold Wilson.
The final months of Johnson’s time in office were dogged by accusations he had broken ministerial rules by not telling the truth about Covid lockdown-busting parties in Downing Street.
He remains under investigation by the Parliamentary Standards Committee, which could, in theory, lead to him being suspended from Parliament, or even being kicked out as an MP.
Johnson has yet to officially announce he will stand, but his former press secretary Will Walden has told Sky News Johnson is “clearly taking soundings” on a leadership bid.
He could only have dropped a heavier hint that he was not finished yet if he had used another catchphrase from the Terminator films: “I’ll be back.”
Source: BBC