Could Boris Johnson really return as narcissist-in-chief of the Tory party?

The Conservatives, seemingly resigned to electoral defeat, have turned their attention to who should be the party’s next leader. But if the contest is between Johnson and Farage, writes Andrew Grice, the only winner will be Labour

Boris Johnson seems to be positioning himself as the Tories’ saviour once again (Getty)

Guess who’s back… back again,” said Nigel Farage in his latest Eminem act as he launched Reform UK’s implausibly funded “contract with the people”.

But the word in Conservative circles is that another blast from the past might soon be back. Don’t laugh, or cry: Boris Johnson.

It’s not as fanciful a proposition as it sounds. Johnson seems to be positioning himself as the Tories’ saviour – not from Theresa May, a stalled Brexit process or from Labour, but from Farage’s ambition to mount a reverse takeover of the Tories after the crushing election defeat that is expected. I suspect there’s more chance of Johnson returning as Tory leader than Farage leading a new Tory Reform Party.