BAG PM A SAFE SEAT
»Polls say he’s at risk of being dumped as MP »Allies ‘dangling peerages’ to Tory colleagues
BORIS Johnson’s allies are drawing up a list of safe seats for him amid fears he could lose his own at the next election.
And one insider suggested they were even prepared to offer loyalist MPs in Tory heartlands honours, including knighthoods and peerages, to move aside for him.
The source said: “It has been discussed. They’re testing the water with MPs with safe seats. They’re prepared to dangle honours in front of ultra-loyalists and those who might be thinking about standing down anyway.”
Recent polls have suggested the outgoing PM could be in danger of losing his own seat of Uxbridge, London, in the 2024 general election.
He has a majority of just 7210. It is understood Johnson wants to remain on the backbenches and
LOYAL ALLY there have been reports he hopes to stage a political comeback with another bid for No10. Senior sources claim that could be done from a seat with a much larger Tory majority. One name under discussion is that of Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries, one of the PM’s closest allies. Her mid-Bedfordshire seat has a 24,600 majority. If she does not stay in post under the new Tory leader, or decides to leave the Cabinet, friends believe there is a chance she could quit Parliament entirely.
Desperate Johnson could then potentially make the “chicken run” to her true blue seat.
A second source said: “Boris Johnson thinks the Tory party has made a huge mistake getting rid of him and, with time, will come to regret it.
“It might sound deluded but his team thinks he can have another
go at prime minister if he holds on. But sticking with Uxbridge would be risky. So they’re looking at options.”
Johnson’s personal appeal with voters in his seat – a popular local Tory council – and grassroots campaigners should, in theory, make ousting him difficult.
But modelling this month from Britain Elects predicted Labour could get 43.7 per cent of the vote in Uxbridge and South Ruislip, an increase of 6.1 per cent on 2019, if there was an election held today.
Johnson’s vote share would drop by 11.5 per cent, giving him just 41.1 per cent. Labour and Lib Dem followers have shown themselves willing to vote tactically in recent byelections, while constituency boundary changes would add Northolt, regarded as Labour, to the seat.
Young professional graduates who are more likely to vote against the Tories have been moving in droves out of Central London to suburbs such as Hillingdon. No10 said of the safe seat claims: “The Prime Minister has not had any such conversations. “He is proud to represent the people of Uxbridge and South Ruislip.” Johnson is drawing up his resignation honours list, expected to include big ticket donors.
It could include members of his “advisory committee” of donors said to be granted access to ministers in return for cash.
Tory chairman Ben Elliot, whose firm has been accused of selling access to Prince Charles and boasting of links to “Russian elites”, is also being lined up for an honour.
But the House of Lords Appointment Commission, which vets nominations, is said to be holding up Johnson’s plans.