Boris puts his faith in the Wizard

THE carefully stage- managed performance by Boris Johnson yesterday was masterminded by the architect of his two victories in the London mayoral elections.

Sir Lynton Crosby, who also ran the 2015 Conservative election campaign in which David Cameron won an overall Tory majority for the first time since 1992, has been discreetly advising Johnson since he quit the Cabinet in July.

The straight-talking Australian, dubbed the Wizard of Oz after helping John Howard win a record four general elections Down Under, also worked on the Tories’ disastrous election campaign last year. Back then, he was sidelined by Mrs May’s key lieutenants, Nick Timothy and Fiona Hill — both of whom left No. 10 shortly afterwards.

Boris, it seems, has a bit more faith in his old guru. As one supporter put it: ‘Lynton gives blunt, down-to-earth advice. When Boris takes it, things work like clockwork.’