‘Looking for publicity’ in a war zone: Ex-military chiefs warn ‘loose cannon’ Boris Johnson against Ukraine trip

Exclusive: Ex-PM told he should stay ‘in the background’

Senior military figures have criticised Boris Johnson and accused him of “looking for publicity” in a warzone after it was revealed he plans to visit Ukraine.

The former head of the army, Lord Dannatt, also warned that the ex-prime minister was a “loose cannon” whose plan could upstage Rishi Sunak.

Mr Johnson intends to travel to Kyiv in the coming months to show his support for the war-torn country, it has been reported.

He built a strong personal relationship with Volodymyr Zelensky while he was in office and has urged the West to continue to support Ukraine against its Russian invaders.

His full-throated support for the country and its people is understood to be what he considers one of his key legacies in office.

Ukrainian officials were guarded about the prospect of a visit by Mr Johnson, who remains hugely popular in the country.

They are particularly careful, they said, after the “tweet incident”. Just before Mr Johnson pulled out of the Conservative leadership contest against Rishi Sunak last October, the Ukrainian government’s official Twitter page posted a meme saying “Better Call Boris” based on the Netflix series Better Call Saul. It was deleted a short time later.

A security adviser to Mr Zelensky’s government said: “We are very grateful of the continuous support the UK has given to us in Russia’s war of aggression. We deeply appreciate that prime minister Sunak’s first telephone call to a foreign leader was to President Zelenksy and his message of solidarity.

“Boris Johnson was a great ally and friend of Ukraine as prime minister and visited us three times. We are very glad that he continues to be a friend. The people of Ukraine remember he stood by us at a very difficult time.”

Downing Street did not deny that the former prime minister had not informed them of a potential upcoming visit.

But No 10 did say Mr Sunak liaises “closely” with Mr Zelensky and described Mr Johnson as a “backbench” MP.

Tobias Ellwood, the Tory MP who chairs the defence select committee, warned Mr Johnson should “not interfere” in the official relationship between the two countries.

Lord West, former First Sea Lord, said: “Generally, my position would be that ex-prime ministers shouldn't be looking for publicity and kudos. They should be helping support the UK government and keeping in the background.”

Lord Dannatt said: “Boris Johnson has been a loose cannon all his life, he remains a loose cannon.

“There’s no reason why on a personal basis he shouldn’t go ... I don’t think he can do any harm, as long as he’s not trying to upstage Rishi Sunak.”

Sir William Patey, a prominent former diplomat who was ambassador to Iraq, Afghanistan and Sudan, said if Boris Johnson does go to Ukraine it will “largely be for self-serving reasons rather than consolidating European unity in the war”.

He added: “If it was another former prime minister going on such a trip it wouldn’t be such an issue but it is Boris Johnson and we know of his character, what he is like, and also of course his aspiration to return to No 10. So this is not very helpful for the government.

General Sir Richard Barrons, the former chief of Joint Forces Command who had led troops in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kosovo and Northern Ireland said that a visit by Boris Johnson to Ukraine carries inherent risks for the war effort.

He said: “You cannot be a little bit pregnant; you’re either the prime minister and a member of the government or you’re not and Boris Johnson is not. He is an MP of course, but if he goes to Ukraine it will, presumably, be not part of an official parliamentary delegation, he’ll do so as an individual MP and a celebrity politician.”

It comes as rumours of a Boris Johnson comeback continue. This week a grassroots group full of Mr Johnson supporters called for a rule change so that any Tory MP who gains the backing of 15 per cent of their colleagues should be able to run for leadership.

Meanwhile, Paul Goodman, editor of ConservativeHome website, suggested a Johnson comeback was a possibility in 2023.

The influential figure wrote that it was “possible that a reinstalled Johnson could confound his critics, as he has done so many times before, and win the Conservatives a fifth term”.

But any potential comeback moves were dealt a blow this week when it was revealed that Mr Johnson had joked attending an “unsocially distanced” party at No 10 during Covid restrictions.

A number of Tory MPs told The Independent that the alleged remarks make it more likely that he will be found to have misled parliament at the upcoming Partygate inquiry and would make it harder for Mr Johnson to avoid punishment when the investigation by the privileges committee concludes.

“It’s the final nail in his self-created comeback coffin,” one MP told The Independent.

A spokesperson for Mr Johnson declined to comment on any trip.