Boris Johnson has been tipped to make a sensational comeback by a Tory Minister.
Former Chief Whip Mark Spencer said people should “never write off” Boris when asked if we were likely to see him in frontline politics again.
Mr Spencer, the Conservative MP for Sherwood and a Minister in the Department Fisheries, Food and Agriculture, told GB News: “You should never write Boris Johnson off. Because if you look back, everybody said he could never become Mayor of London, and he did it.
“And then they said, ‘Well you'll never get re-elected. Look at the polls, the polls are telling you you’ll never get re-elected’. And he did it. ‘Well, you'll never solve Brexit Boris. The Theresa May government was completely paralysed.
There's nothing you can do, Boris, to solve this problem.’ And he did it. You know, I think you write Boris Johnson off at your peril. He's a hugely, hugely talented politician.”
Backing the current Prime Minister over the job he’s doing, Mr Spencer continued: “I think now we've got Rishi in as Prime Minister. Rishi is the man for the moment. He clearly is a very credible, bright, driven individual who's fizzing with policy ideas. I think Rishi is the man of this moment. That doesn't mean that Boris has not got a big role in politics, in UK politics in the future.
“What I would say to you is that he is a man of huge talent, that my constituents love and respect him, that as a party we'd be very foolish to not make the most of those talents that clearly he has as an individual.”
Speaking to Gloria De Piero, Mr Spencer also addressed the steps he believes Parliament still needs to take to deal with sleaze, bullying and sexism.
He said: “We've made some changes, actually, we have made some progress in the right direction. What is absolutely fundamental is that those who are victims have got the confidence to come forward.
That they feel as though if they make an allegation, that allegation will be taken seriously, will be investigated properly, and they've got the confidence to come forward.
“We've made a few changes in that direction. So, for example, now, it's possible to make an anonymous complaint that will be logged. Victims absolutely have to feel confident that they'll be taken seriously if they make an allegation.”
Asked whether an MP accused of a sexual crime should be allowed to come onto the Parliamentary estate while that is being investigated, he added: “MPs are not employees, they are advocates, they are representatives of their constituents. So, the power lies with the constituents to get rid of them.
Speaking to Gloria De Piero, Mr Spencer also addressed the steps he believes Parliament still needs to take to deal with sleaze, bullying and sexism.
GB News
But of course, if someone's made a very, very serious allegation about inappropriate behaviour within a Parliamentary office, it's then very difficult for that person to keep coming into the Parliamentary office working with an individual that may have made the allegation against them.
Which is why the speaker has pulled together a committee to look at those contradictions, if you like.
Meanwhile Mr Spencer has issued a rallying call to arms to Brits to save their local chippy.
The cost of living crisis, coupled with a rise in the price of fish is leading to many takeaways struggling to stay afloat.
Mr Spencer said chippies were facing the same pressures as other shops on the High Street: “You can make the same argument about the High Street as well. You know it's not just fish and chip shops, there are lots of those shops that are under pressure.
“Now the fundamental answer, the direct answer is you've got to use them otherwise you'll lose them. If you don't use your fish and chip shop it will disappear because it won't have the trade to be able to continue.
You know, I would say to people, ‘Use your fish and chip shop because it's a great British tradition. And just take a few mushy peas on the side as well’.”
The full interview is broadcast on Sunday from 6pm on Gloria Meets on GB News.
Boris Johnson has been tipped to make a sensational comeback by a Tory Minister.
Stefan Rousseau