I’d never rule out his return, says top aide

BORIS Johnson’s former chief of staff has said he would ‘never say never’ about a comeback for the Prime Minister.

Lord Udny-Lister said his former boss was a ‘very formidable operator’ and did not rule out him making a return at some point.

But he also revealed that Mr Johnson was ‘cross’ at the manner of his departure after scores of Ministers forced his resignation.

Mr Johnson is to formally resign on Tuesday, with Foreign Secretary Liz Truss expected to take over.

Lord Udny-Lister, his former trusted aide, told Times Radio – in an interview to be broadcast today – that the PM was very sad at the manner of his departure.

The adviser said that Mr Johnson was ‘very shocked at what’s taken place, and the speed of it’.

Asked if Mr Johnson was angry about being removed from office like former US President Donald Trump who refused to concede the election, the Conservative peer replied: ‘He’s not a Donald Trump, and yes, of course he’s cross about it, but he also recognises that he has to move on.’

On Mr Johnson returning to office, he said: ‘I would never say never about anything to do with Boris Johnson, and when people say “will he ever come back?” I would say well, maybe.

‘He is a very formidable operator. He is somebody who has proved, and been able to surprise people, time after time.’

The adviser, who left No10 earlylast year, said that the PM’s team should have handled the Partygate revelations in a different way.

‘Allowing that to come out in bits and pieces, and it was like a drip drip, drip...’ he said.

He also said that the next Prime Minister should appoint an ethics adviser. Allegations of sexual harassment in the Commons contributed to Mr Johnson leaving office.

It came as a Survation poll for The Mail on Sunday revealed that more than half of all 2019 Tory voters think the next PM should offer Mr Johnson a role in government.

Of those who backed the Prime Minister three years ago, 53 per cent wanted him to be offered a job, with 34 per cent opposing it.

However, asked if Mr Johnson would make a good future candidate for PM, 2019 voters were split, with slightly more against (49 per cent) than for (42 per cent).

Voters were more likely to vote for Mr Johnson than they were in July, and his net favourability has increased by 12 points. However, it lags behind other candidates for Prime Minister at -28, compared with -25 for Liz Truss and +2 for Sir Keir Starmer.