Second helping of Boris tops menu in Soho
The plot thickens as Tories discuss how to reinstall ex-pm at London restaurant
DID the plot to restore Boris Johnson to the leadership of the Conservative Party start in the unlikely surroundings of a Soho restaurant in London’s theatreland this week?
The gathering of around 40 Conservatives had been organised by members of the Bring Back Boris Whatsapp group, one of dozens on the messaging site where disgruntled Johnson supporters can let off steam.
They had been invited to meet in L’escargot, an upmarket French restaurant, arriving for 7pm on Wednesday night, the eve of the Autumn Statement.
What marked out this meeting was the calibre of MPS who attended along with the Boris-supporting activists: Jacob Rees-mogg, the former business secretary, James Duddridge, the former minister, and former Conservative MEP David Campbell-bannerman.
A gaggle of peers loyal to Mr Johnson were due to attend but were delayed by votes in the House of Lords.
The event was billed as a get-together. One person at the meeting said its prime purpose was to “console each other; people are forlorn about what has happened” to Mr Johnson’s leadership.
The supporter said: “People felt disenfranchised about what has happened,” adding: “This was not the Gunpowder Plot happening.”
However, talk soon turned to something more intriguing: how and when Mr Johnson might return as Tory leader. “That was the thrust of it,” said the activist.
A second person in the room explained: “Boris loyalists are shell-shocked and they are looking for a solution to it, possibly next year.
“Various scenarios were explored, including whether there will be an opportunity for Boris to return next year.”
Not everyone was arguing for this, however.
Asked if the meeting was about plotting a Johnson return, the source added: “It is not ruling it out. These were friends of Boris showing appreciation for what he has done.”
The Conservative MPS – who thought they were attending a “thank you” event – could see that talk of Mr Johnson coming back, just three weeks into Mr Sunak’s premiership, was dangerous and were having none of it.
Mr Rees-mogg gave a speech in which he told Johnson supporters that they had to stay loyal to Mr Sunak as he sought to restore the Conservative party’s fortunes after the disaster of the Truss administration, before taking a few questions.
One witness revealed: “Jacob said we had to back the Prime Minister and no mucking about. He told them to be loyal.”
Mr Duddridge, who has also pledged his loyalty to Mr Sunak, spoke about the forthcoming account of Johnson’s downfall by novelist and former Cabinet minister Nadine Dorries, titled The Political Assassination of Boris Johnson.
“You couldn’t write a proper book about Boris because a lot of the chapters have not been acted out,” he joked.
The main speaker was Mr Campbell-bannerman, who helped to collect thousands of signatures over the summer to try to get Mr Johnson’s name on the leadership ballot paper alongside Mr Sunak and Liz Truss.
Mr Campbell-bannerman gave a long and detailed speech about the need for more democracy in the Conservative Party by rewriting its constitution.
The evening broke up at around 10pm. A further meeting is planned for the new year.
Mr Johnson’s supporters are clearly biding their time about a comeback for the former Conservative leader.
The consensus appears to be that the time for Mr Johnson to return is July, after the May local elections which are forecast to be a disaster for the Conservatives.
That would allow him to get past the privileges committee, which is examining whether he lied to Parliament over partygate.
Mr Johnson was invited to the restaurant, but did not attend. He was present in the House of Commons chamber 18 hours later supporting Jeremy Hunt when he delivered his Autumn Statement.
We do not know what Mr Johnson made of the meeting.
He was probably flattered by the interest, as he was when thousands of loyal party supporters led by Lord Cruddas of Shoreditch tried to force a vote on whether he should be removed as leader in August.
His team has told me that Mr Johnson “will be supportive of the new government – but, as he has said before, he will be advocating for issues close to his heart including Ukraine and levelling up”, adding that he “has no plans to step down from Parliament”.
On the issue of leadership, Mr Johnson still wants to return.
His team pointed to the former leader’s statement on Oct 23 when he chose not to oppose Mr Sunak.
“I believe I have much to offer but I am afraid that this is simply not the right time,” he said.