Boris Johnson Is Back in Britain, and Back in the Running for Prime Minister

LONDON — Boris Johnson returned to Britain on Saturday, feeding expectations that he would search to reclaim his previous job after the resignation of Prime Minister Liz Truss final week. His former chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, additionally appeared poised to affix the race to switch Ms. Truss.

Mr. Johnson, who had been vacationing within the Dominican Republic, received the backing of his former house secretary, Priti Patel, a major endorsement from a outstanding determine on the proper wing of the Conservative Get together.

Allies of Mr. Johnson claimed on Saturday afternoon that he had picked up help from greater than 100 lawmakers. That’s considerably bigger than the number who have publicly declared for him. But when he have been to cross that threshold, it could considerably increase the percentages of him returning to 10 Downing Avenue.

Contenders for celebration chief are required to have nominations from at the very least 100 of the 357 Conservative lawmakers to advance to a second spherical of voting, among the many members of the celebration in Britain, a bunch with whom Mr. Johnson stays widespread. Mr. Sunak already has 112 votes from celebration lawmakers, in keeping with an unofficial rely by the BBC.

“Boris Johnson has greater than 100 backers,” James Duddridge, a Conservative member of Parliament who’s near him, posted on Twitter, with out naming any.

Candidates have till 2 p.m. Monday to assemble these nominations. On Monday, the celebration will maintain two rounds of voting to winnow the sphere to 1 or two candidates. If two stay, celebration members will solid ballots later within the week.

Mr. Johnson, who was compelled out of workplace in July after a collection of scandals prompted a insurrection of Conservative lawmakers and ministers, trails Mr. Sunak in counts of declared lawmakers compiled by the BBC and different information organizations. The BBC mentioned Mr. Johnson had 49 votes, whereas Penny Mordaunt, the chief of the Home of Commons who has declared her candidacy, had 21.

Different tallies put Mr. Johnson’s numbers increased. Reporters for the BBC and The Times of London, citing individuals near him, mentioned he was able to be on the poll subsequent week, if he selected to be. With out publicly declared names of backers, nevertheless, it was unimaginable to find out the credibility of that declare.

Crossing the edge of 100 votes would make Mr. Johnson the automated favourite as a result of opinion polls counsel he would beat Mr. Sunak in a contest with celebration members. For Mr. Sunak, that will be a repeat of his expertise this summer season, when he received probably the most votes amongst lawmakers, solely to lose to Ms. Truss among the many members.

A lot will depend upon whether or not different figures from the proper, like Suella Braverman or Kemi Badenoch, determine to run — and if they don’t, who picks up their votes.

Mr. Johnson stays widespread with the grass roots of the celebration, which has prompted some Conservative columnists and commentators to attempt to cease his candidacy from getting out of the beginning gate.

Andrew Neil, a outstanding broadcaster, wrote in The Daily Mail, “It’s time for the Tories to place the nation first and vote for Rishi Sunak, the person the markets belief.” Charles Moore, in The Telegraph, wrote that he could see “Boris storming again in several circumstances.” However he added: “I don’t see it working proper now. True Boris followers may have the braveness to inform him to take a seat this one out.”

David Frost, who negotiated the post-Brexit commerce take care of the European Union for Mr. Johnson’s authorities, urged lawmakers to vote for Mr. Sunak. “Boris Johnson will at all times be a hero for delivering Brexit,” he wrote on Twitter. “However we should transfer on. It’s merely not proper to threat repeating the chaos & confusion of the final yr.”

Different commentators warned that selecting Mr. Johnson would deepen fears about Britain’s stability that have been stirred by Ms. Truss’s tax-cutting plans. The rankings company Moody’s lowered its financial outlook for Britain to “adverse,” citing political instability and excessive inflation.

Nonetheless, Mr. Johnson’s supporters view his candidacy as an opportunity to rebuild the Conservative Get together after the chaos and reversals of Ms. Truss’s six weeks in workplace. Some are betting on him as a result of they hope that he can save their seats in a common election, given the massive lead that the opposition Labour Get together now holds within the polls.

“I’m backing @BorisJohnson to return as our Prime Minister, to convey collectively a united staff to ship our manifesto and lead Britain to a stronger and extra affluent future,” Ms. Patel tweeted Saturday afternoon.