Boris Johnson drops out of Tory leadership contest – have there been shenanigans?
Boris Johnson: he’s out of the Tory leadership contest.
Does this count as the first time multiple philanderer Boris Johnson has ever withdrawn from anything?
And he doesn’t even have a good reason!
He has pulled out of the Conservative Party leadership election, despite claiming to have 102 nominations, which puts him beyond the number needed (although the BBC had been keeping its own count – and believed he had only 55).
According to the BBC, he has said:
“In the last few days I have been overwhelmed by the number of people who suggested that I should once again contest the Conservative Party leadership, both among the public and among friends and colleagues in Parliament.
“I have been attracted because I led our party into a massive election victory less than three years ago – and I believe I am therefore uniquely placed to avert a general election now.
“A general election would be a further disastrous distraction just when the Government must focus on the economic pressures faced by families across the country.
“I believe I am well placed to deliver a Conservative victory in 2024 – and tonight I can confirm that I have cleared the very high hurdle of 102 nominations, including a proposer and a seconder, and I could put my nomination in tomorrow.”
“There is a very good chance that I would be successful in the election with Conservative Party members – and that I could indeed be back in Downing Street on Friday.
“But in the course of the last days I have sadly come to the conclusion that this would simply not be the right thing to do. You can’t govern effectively unless you have a united party in parliament.
“And though I have reached out to both Rishi (Sunak) and Penny (Mordaunt) – because I hoped that we could come together in the national interest – we have sadly not been able to work out a way of doing this.
“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.
“I believe I have much to offer but I am afraid that this is simply not the right time.”
Do you believe any of that?
“I have sadly come to the conclusion that this would simply not be the right thing to do“?
When was Boris Johnson ever interested in the right thing to do?
Perhaps the next line provides more light:
“You can’t govern effectively unless you have a united party in parliament.”
I don’t know what you think, but doesn’t it seem as though someone has had a word?
It ties in with what Russ Jones was telling us a few days ago – that the Conservative Party is a coalition of several warring factions, and leaders have only managed to succeed by uniting several of them behind their banner.
And it could also be an excuse.
It has also been suggested that, while Johnson would be an extremely popular choice among Conservative members, he would be electorally catastrophic for the party with most voters unwilling to forgive and forget the transgressions of his original period as prime minister – irrespective of whether MPs would unite behind him.
Also, with his withdrawal, does this leave the way clear for a Rishi Sunak coronation – as Penny Mordaunt has too few nominations to pass the threshold for participation?
Could one possibly argue that Johnson was brought in simply to take votes away from any other serious candidate, to ensure they could not progress through the process and, thereby, to deprive Conservative Party members of their democratic choice?
That would be a blow for the party faithful – especially as Johnson was their preferred choice. If he really does think he might “deliver” a Tory victory in 2024, he might have scuppered his own chances by betraying his home constituency.
So, what’s next?
Should we look out for an announcement that Sunak will be the next Tory leader and prime minister at some time on Monday (October 24)?
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Johnson’s massive ego never could admit defeat, that’s something that happens to other people.
He obviously has the members support but not the party support and has been “pacified” by a promise to return in 2024.
The sooner he realises that he is not “The Terminator” but “The Terminated” the quicker we can be rid of this annoying thing that looks like a tramp looking out a hayloft. (He had the cheek to criticise Corbyn’s appearance).