As former British prime minister Boris Johnson announced that he will not stand for the Tory leadership, he asserted that he is "well placed" to deliver a victory in the 2024 general election.
“There is a very good chance that I would be successful in the election with Conservative Party members - and that I could indeed be back in Downing Street on Friday,” Boris Johnson said.
Read Boris Johnson's full statement as reported by British media here:
"In the last few days I have been overwhelmed by the number of people who suggested that I should once again contest the Conservative Party leadership, both among the public and among friends and colleagues in Parliament.
I have been attracted because I led our party into a massive election victory less than three years ago - and I believe I am therefore uniquely placed to avert a general election now.
A general election would be a further disastrous distraction just when the government must focus on the economic pressures faced by families across the country.
{{/usCountry}}A general election would be a further disastrous distraction just when the government must focus on the economic pressures faced by families across the country.
{{/usCountry}}I believe I am well placed to deliver a Conservative victory in 2024 - and tonight I can confirm that I have cleared the very high hurdle of 102 nominations, including a proposer and a seconder, and I could put my nomination in tomorrow. There is a very good chance that I would be successful in the election with Conservative Party members - and that I could indeed be back in Downing Street on Friday.
But in the course of the last days I have sadly come to the conclusion that this would simply not be the right thing to do. You can’t govern effectively unless you have a united party in parliament.
And though I have reached out to both Rishi and Penny - because I hoped that we could come together in the national interest - we have sadly not been able to work out a way of doing this.
Therefore I am afraid the best thing is that I do not allow my nomination to go forward and commit my support to whoever succeeds.
I believe I have much to offer but I am afraid that this is simply not the right time."