Tories fear Boris Johnson supporters will form rival party as third MP quits
The wave of Tory MPs quitting Parliament led by Boris Johnson has prompted fears within the Conservatives of a rival party being set up fronted by the former prime minister.
Nigel Adams became the third MP to announce he would be stepping down with immediate effect after Nadine Dorries and Mr Johnson said they were resigning on Friday night.
The decision has sparked chaos within the Tory party, and leaves Rishi Sunak facing the prospect of three by-elections in succession in the coming months.
i has been told that as many as six Johnson loyalist MPs could quit the party, in a move that would further plunge Mr Sunak’s leadership into crisis.
In a bitter resignation statement, Mr Johnson took aim at Mr Sunak’s leadership of the party, warning it would face defeat at the next election unless it recaptures its “sense of momentum and its belief in what this country can do”.
He hinted of a swift return to frontline politics, which has fueled fevered speculation that Mr Johnson could seek re-election in a safer seat, such as those vacated by Ms Dorries and Mr Adams, or even set up a party of his own.
One former cabinet minister told i: “His resignation is very bad news for the Conservatives. Just as we thought Ukip and Reform were back in the box, I suspect another party on the right is about to be set up and its first electoral test will be the by-elections.”
The source highlighted the pro-Johnson grassroots group the Conservative Democratic Organisation, set up by staunch Johnsonites Lord Cruddas and former Conservative MEP David Bannerman, as a potential vehicle for a new party.
“I’m not sure they will win seats, but they will take voters off the Conservatives,” the senior Tory said.
Mr Adams had been earmarked to receive a peerage in Mr Johnson’s resignation honours list, but the recommendation was referred back to the authorities amid fears it would lead to him stepping down as an MP before the election.
i understands Mr Johnson contacted Lord Cruddas over the weekend and the pair are due to meet this coming week to discuss their next steps, although CDO insiders played down any suggestion of a new party being formed.
Lord Cruddas, who was ennobled by Mr Johnson, said he was “angry and appalled” by the Conservative Parliamentary Party, accusing them of stabbing the former Tory leader “in the back and then the front”.
“Conservative Party Members have been treated with contempt by their own MPs and their behaviour is anti-democratic and will lead to most of them losing their jobs as MPs at the next General Election,” he said. “The electorate are angry with them and who can blame them.
“Members voted for Boris and then Liz Truss and both were forced to resign by the Conservative Parliamentary Party without referral to the members.”
Claire Bullivant, CEO of the CDO said: “This is far from Game Over for Boris. This is Game On. Boris is now unshackled. You just have to read his statement saying he’s sad to be leaving parliament… ‘at least for now’ – four words that will be no doubt causing meltdowns across the Labour party.
“Boris will be back, stronger than ever. His best days are yet to come.”
