Disgraced Boris Johnson has landed in Britain after boasting he is “up for” returning to Downing Street - even if it cleaves the Tories in two.
The former premier, who was forced out over parties, ‘porkies’, paint jobs and the fact he knew about ‘grope’ accused MP Chris Pincher, landed into a storm that plunges the UK further into chaos.
After bunking off Parliament last week to give a £135,000 speech, Mr Johnson stayed on the other side of the Atlantic at a beach bar while the government collapsed - despite still being a sitting MP.
But now he has finally flown home into a lightning-quick Tory leadership contest after more than 50 MP fans - including four Cabinet ministers and Priti Patel - backed him for a sensational return as PM.
Mr Johnson and wife Carrie arrived at London Gatwick on a British Airways flight in economy class after leaving their luxury holiday in the Dominican Republic. He was reportedly booed by other passengers.
As he landed a string of Tory MPs confirmed they had now formally nominated him for PM.
But in a major blow for Boris Johnson today, his former deputy PM, Brexit chief and chief of staff all turned against him to back Rishi Sunak instead.
In an explosive intervention his former deputy Dominic Raab warned Boris Johnson not to run for leader again. “We can't have another episode of the Groundhog Day, of the soap opera, the party game,” Mr Raab said. “We must get the country and the government moving forward."
Ex-chief of staff Steve Barclay backed Rishi Sunak as did David Frost - who Mr Johnson put in the Lords as his Brexit minister.
Lord Frost said Mr Johnson "will always be a hero" but backed "capable" Rishi Sunak, adding: "We must move on. It is simply not right to risk repeating the chaos & confusion of the last year."
Yet a friend of the ex-PM said last night: “He’s Whatsapping MPs saying ‘I’m flying back, we’re going to do this, I’m up for it.’”
Boris Johnson is currently lagging behind Rishi Sunak, who has the 100 nominations needed to get on the ballot paper on Monday, but is in front of Penny Mordaunt.
If he gets to 100 he could go through to a vote of the Tory membership - many of whom still love him and believe Rishi Sunak betrayed him by resigning.
The new PM will be named by Friday afternoon at the latest despite experts saying the online ballot of 172,000 Tory members will be a “tempting target” to Russian hackers.
The Mirror is demanding a general election now as the Tories attempt to be the first party of government since the Second World War to change leaders twice without an election.
Tory critics warn Boris Johnson’s return would break the party, after more than 50 ministers resigned in protest just three and a half months ago.
And they fear it will trigger another leadership crisis within weeks when a Commons investigation decides whether he lied to MPs over Partygate.
Sources close to the Privileges Committee - due to question the ex-PM this Autumn - have claimed some of its evidence is so damning he’ll be “gone by Christmas”.
Mr Johnson’s former loyal ally Dominic Raab - who is now backing Rishi Sunak - today warned Mr Johnson could not “give the country the attention, the focus that it needs” during the probe.
"I don't see how you can reconcile returning to frontline politics with that committee looming and hanging over" him, he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
Some Tories have called for unity talks between Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak - with one bombshell report suggesting Mr Johnson could be Home Secretary.
Mr Raab did not rule out a unity summit between the two men saying: "I don't know. I don't think there's been one yet. Rishi is talking to people from across the party and I'm sure he's open to doing so."
But he added the Privileges Committee is a "fundamental hurdle" - and it’s understood no talks were planned between the two men as of this morning.
Speaking as the UK's economic rating was downgraded, Tory grandee Sir Malcolm Rifkind warned a Johnson return would be “utterly indefensible” as “he showed no interest, never mind leadership on economic policy”.
The ex-Foreign Secretary told Times Radio: “I've never heard a worst example of putting the party's perceived interest… before the public interest.
“In my judgement, the public interest could not remotely be served by the return of Boris Johnson.”
William Hague said the return of Mr Johnson as PM would plunge the Tories into a “death spiral”.
“I think it’s possibly the worst idea I’ve heard of in the 46 years, I’ve been a member of the Conservative Party,” the former leader told Times Radio.
Rishi Sunak has not yet declared his leadership run but supporters have already confirmed he has nomination papers being signed.
Penny Mordaunt was still the only person to declare by Saturday morning, with a pledge to re-unite the bitterly divided Tory Party.
The Commons Leader - who finished third in the leadership election this summer - said she had been encouraged by the support she had received from fellow Conservative MPs.
“I’m running to be the leader of the Conservative Party and your Prime Minister - to unite our country, deliver our pledges and win the next GE (general election),” she wrote on Twitter.
But she only had 22 backers on Saturday morning and many of her supporters had swung behind Rishi Sunak instead, suggesting she would not make the ballot.
A question mark still lingered over Suella Braverman and Kemi Badenoch, who stood last time and could launch runs from the Tory right, but may not reach the 100 backers they need by 2pm on Monday.
With more than 150 MPs still undeclared on Saturday morning, a friend of Boris Johnson said the ex-PM’s chances rested on what right-wingers decide to do.
They claimed: “He’s going to get to 100. The issue will be who the right falls behind. It feels like they are not going to get to 100. If not, a lot of the right-wing vote will end up going to Boris.”
Liz Truss resigned on Thursday after just 44 days in office, becoming Britain’s shortest-serving PM in history.
She lasted less time than the B&Q returns policy, Cher's Believe staying at No1 in the charts, or magician David Blaine’s stint living in a box after she unleashed chaos on the mortgage market with £70bn in unfunded tax cuts.
If Mr Johnson were to drop out of the race, or fail to reach 100 backers, Rishi Sunak could be “crowned” Prime Minister as soon as Monday night or Tuesday morning.
If two candidates get over the 100-nomination threshold they will go to a quick run-off of the Tory membership.
But in a new development, MPs will hold an “indicative vote” between the two - ramping up pressure on members to make the “right” choice, or on one of the two candidates to drop out.
