Tories secretly plotting to oust Badenoch, reinstall Boris Johnson
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Senior Tories are rallying for Boris Johnson’s return as Kemi Badenoch faces backlash and Reform UK rises in the polls.
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Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson arrives to attend a Service of Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey on V-E Day in London, Thursday, May 8, 2025. (AP)
A group of senior Tory insiders and former Conservative MPs have launched a secret mission to bring Boris Johnson back to frontline politics in a bombshell return aimed at replacing Kemi Badenoch as party leader, The Sun reported on Sunday.
The Sun revealed details of the plan just days after a poll showed the Tories sinking to fourth place behind the Lib Dems, as grim-faced Tory MPs described the YouGov survey as a "line in the sand" and warned that the party cannot afford to limp on with Kemi Badenoch as leader.
“Some of the old gang around Boris Johnson are back texting and in talks to get him to return," The Sun cited a senior Tory as saying. “The feeling is he is the only man who can take on Nigel Farage and win. They want to bring back Boris," they added.
Another senior Conservative figure revealed that Boris Johnson's allies have resumed discussions, with some even within Tory headquarters secretly working on efforts to facilitate his return.
Bring back Boris?
A despondent Tory MP admitted that while frustration within the party over Kemi Badenoch's leadership continues to build, with some Conservatives repeatedly considering a challenge only to hold back, the mood remains bleak.
Another Tory MP argued that only Boris Johnson's return could truly threaten Reform, particularly in crucial Red Wall seats, where his appeal might outmatch Nigel Farage's insurgent party.
Panicked Tory MPs believe their party is teetering on the edge of collapse, with Reform UK poised to supplant them as the dominant force on the right.
A recent More in Common poll revealed that Boris Johnson represents the Tory Party's strongest hope of defeating Nigel Farage in a battle for Downing Street, with the Conservatives leading with 26% of the vote under his leadership, followed closely by Reform at 23% and Labour trailing at 22%. Under Kemi, they are projected to limp in at third place.
Discord rumbles within Tories
As speculation intensifies that Kemi Badenoch could be ousted after just six months as Tory leader, her ally and former Cabinet minister Michael Gove has publicly backed her, praising her political instincts as consistently sound and commending her for demonstrating a rare level of courage in British politics.
However, Boris Johnson's former communications director, Guto Harri, suggested that another Tory leadership contest appears unavoidable, however, a Tory source dismissed such speculations.
"Anyone who thinks that changing leader after 6 months will help needs to get real," the source stated, adding that "the Conservative Party suffered its worst ever defeat last year, and renewing the party from the ground up is going to take time."
According to the source, Kemi Badenoch is focused on developing substantive policy proposals, restructuring Conservative Party headquarters, and scrutinizing what they view as Labour's failing government.
They emphasized that she remains committed to engaging directly with voters across the country, beyond Westminster's insulated political sphere, while working tirelessly to regain public confidence.
Tories try to persuade Boris to return
Senior Conservative Party figures are actively urging former Prime Minister Boris Johnson to make a dramatic political comeback as the party struggles with dismal polling numbers, according to The Sun sources within Tory leadership circles.
"Some of the old gang around Boris Johnson are back texting and in talks to get him to return," one of the sources said, while another major party leader said that the Tories' HQ is working on a potential return of Boris to politics amid dwindling ratings of the party.
A YouGov poll released on May 20 revealed a dramatic collapse in Conservative Party support, showing the Tories plummeting to fourth place with just 19% backing, as Nigel Farage's Reform UK surged to first place with 29% support, while the ruling Labour Party trailed at 22% and the Liberal Democrats followed with 17%, marking a seismic shift in the UK's political landscape.
