Former UK PM Boris Johnson made a hint that he is planning a comeback as Prime Minister by taking a swipe at Rishi Sunak on the US leg of what is being described as his “comeback tour”.
The ousted Prime Minister is visiting senior Republicans in Washington, DC, and gave an interview to Fox News in which he criticised his successor for not sending fighter jets to Ukraine in its conflict with Russia.
“Every time we’ve said it would be a mistake to give such and such an item of weaponry, we end up doing it, and it ends up being the right thing for Ukraine,” he told Bret Brier on Fox.
He is also scheduled to deliver a major speech to the Atlantic Council at 4.30pm UK time, which has already made Downing Street nervous.
“Boris is a world figure; whatever the backstabbers wanted to do, you couldn’t keep him down,” a former cabinet minister said.
“He is the only one who has the ability to change things. Rishi Sunak simply lacks star power, and this is becoming increasingly clear.”
Mr Johnson was also in Davos earlier this month, mixing with the world’s wealthiest and most politically influential figures at the World Economic Forum, where he emerged as a champion of Ukraine’s fight against Vladimir Putin.
The ‘comeback tour’ began in January with the unveiling of his official portrait at the Carlton Club.
However, his criticism of Sunak is the first time he has publicly criticised the new Prime Minister since leaving office in September, and comes as the UK, like the US, has ruled out sending Ukraine fighter jets.
This came after NATO countries decided to send Ukraine tanks to assist in the war, which was led by Britain’s Challenger 2 armoured vehicles.
Another senior Conservative MP said: “Just look how far we are behind in the polls. Boris really is the only option. Look at the way he is being lauded around the world and then wonder why my colleagues did what they did in getting rid of him.”