JACOB Rees-Mogg has warned his own party that blocking Boris Johnson’s return could plunge the party into “civil war”.
It comes as Sky News reports that two more of the former PM’s supporters are on “resignation watch”.
Nadine Dorries and Nigel Adams have already joined Johnson in resigning with “immediate effect”.
Rees-Mogg was among those knighted in Johnson’s resignations honours.
Writing in The Mail on Sunday, he said: “I am not, unlike some of my fellow Boris admirers, resigning my Commons seat.
“I will fight my North East Somerset seat at the next election and campaign for a Conservative victory nationally.”
He also claimed that Johnson’s resignation – and the suggestion he may fight in another seat at the next election – “puts him in pole position to return as Conservative leader if a vacancy should arise”.
Rees-Mogg continued: “I would most strongly warn Conservative Party managers against any attempt to block Boris if he seeks the party nomination in another seat.
“Any attempt to do so would shatter our fragile party unity and plunge the Conservatives into civil war.”
In an explosive statement on Friday evening, Johnson said: “I have received a letter from the Privileges Committee making it clear – much to my amazement – that they are determined to use the proceedings against me to drive me out of Parliament.”
He argued that the draft was “riddled with inaccuracies” and “reeks of prejudice” as he called the committee a “kangaroo court”.
In contrast to Rees-Mogg, former Conservative deputy prime minister Michael Heseltine has said Johnson should not be allowed to run as a Tory MP again.
Writing in The Observer, he said it was “inconceivable” that he could ever stand to be an MP for the Conservatives again.
Addressing Johnson’s resignation letter, he wrote: “Words are designed to make his audience believe whatever they want to believe. There is no anchor to any discernible truth or sense of integrity.”
Elsewhere, Labour leader Keir Starmer has called for a General Election following the string of high-profile resignations.
