Liz Truss resignation: MPs back Boris Johnson to return as Liz Truss resigns as Prime Minister

Liz Truss has resigned as Prime Minister after just 44 days, with Tory MPs already going public with demands for Boris Johnson to return.

The Prime Minister stood down to confirm her premiership as the shortest in history, following a botched financial statement, the loss of two of her most senior Cabinet ministers and an open revolt by Tory MPs.

A replacement will now be crowned by the end of next week, becoming the third leader in just two months.

Allies of former leader Mr Johnson are already pushing for him to make a comeback, while ex-chancellor Rishi Sunak, who defeated Ms Truss among MPs in the last contest, also has supporters at Westminster.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson and former Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak. Both are viewed as contenders to replace Liz Truss. Picture: PA

Just over 24 hours after insisting she was “a fighter, not a quitter”, Ms Truss stood at a lectern in Downing Street and admitted she “cannot deliver the mandate” which Tory members gave her a little over six weeks ago.

The historic announcement followed talks with the chairman of the 1922 Committee of backbench Conservatives, Sir Graham Brady, who made it clear she could not carry on.

Ms Truss spent just one minute and 30 seconds speaking at Downing Street under cloudy skies on Thursday afternoon, with her reign virtually over before it began.

Ms Truss said: “We delivered on energy bills and on cutting national insurance.

“And we set out a vision for a low tax, high growth economy – that would take advantage of the freedoms of Brexit.

“I recognise though, given the situation, I cannot deliver the mandate on which I was elected by the Conservative Party.

“I have therefore spoken to His Majesty, The King to notify him that I am resigning as Leader of the Conservative Party.”

Her exit followed a brutal Wednesday for Ms Truss, with chaotic scenes of resignations, spats and yet more U-turns.

Wednesday’s chaos, which saw Suella Braverman resign as home secretary, officially for using a personal email to send a sensitive document, but also while she was at odds with the Prime Minister over immigration policy, added to pressure on Ms Truss.

And the ugly scenes in the Commons as Tory MPs were threatened with having the whip suspended if they rebelled over a fracking vote further separated the Prime Minister from her parliamentary party.

One MP told The Scotsman: “In the morning I thought maybe I’d overreacted. By the end of the day, it was clear I’d not been angry enough.”

The number of Tory MPs publicly demanding Ms Truss’s resignation doubled before lunch was over on Thursday, taking the total to 15. But a far greater number were privately agitating for her exit, as Sir Graham made clear to the Prime Minister.

The pound lifted on the resignation announcement following another volatile 24 hours for the currency amid political turmoil.

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said: “We don’t need another Conservative Prime Minister lurching from crisis to crisis.

“We need a general election now and the Conservatives out of power.”

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer demanded a general election “now” so the nation can have “a chance at a fresh start”.

Sir Keir said: “The British public deserve a proper say on the country’s future.

"They must have the chance to compare the Tories’ chaos with Labour’s plans to sort out their mess, grow the economy for working people and rebuild the country for a fairer, greener future.”

Now her predecessor, Mr Johnson, is expected to attempt an extraordinary political comeback just weeks after scandal forced him out.

The former prime minister’s resurrection to frontline politics would be beset with problems, not least the probe into whether he lied to the Commons over ‘Partygate’.

His allies, however, are already urging him to run, with some claiming it is in the “national interest” for him to return.

Currently on holiday in the Caribbean, Mr Johnson has not commented on the clamour for his comeback, but is understood to be interested.

Party rules for the race mean Mr Johnson would need the backing of at least 100 Tory MPs by Monday afternoon to face off against any other successful challenger in a vote of the membership.

Multiple Tory MPs were quick to express their support for Mr Johnson, including Government minister Sir James Duddridge, who served as one of his parliamentary private secretaries.

“I hope you enjoyed your holiday boss. Time to come back. Few issues at the office that need addressing,” he tweeted along with a “bringbackboris” hashtag.

Dudley North MP Marco Longhi said: “The only person who has a mandate from the general public is Boris Johnson.

“He is the only person who can discharge the mandate from the people. Please come back Boss.”

Others, privately, are raising their concerns, with one long-standing adviser to Mr Johnson arguing it is “not the right thing for him”.

MPs told The Scotsman they would force by-elections if Mr Johnson returned, sit as independents, or do everything they could to force him out.

One said: “He is completely toxic and none of this changes he broke the rules and voters hate him.

”I don't want to go back on the doorstep to people who missed funerals and defend him again.”

Problems with a Johnson candidacy include his popularity with the public crashing – even if he still rides high with the Tory membership.

Polling for the Conservatives was already dropping during Mr Johnson’s premiership and he faces an investigation by the Commons Privileges Committee into whether he lied to MPs.

If found guilty, he could face recall proceedings that would leave him battling for his seat in the Commons if he receives a suspension of ten days or more.

Campaigners for victims of the coronavirus pandemic said the idea of a return for the PM who oversaw the Covid response and was fined for breaking his own lockdown rules was “devastating”.

It came as health minister Robert Jenrick warned the Tory party faces “extinction” if it made a mess of the leadership contest.

He told The News Agents podcast: “This isn’t an ordinary leadership contest. It’s more extraordinary than the one we had in the summer.

“If we get this wrong, the country will face a very serious period of further instability and the Conservative Party will lose the next general election, potentially cease to exist.”

On Mr Johnson, the minister said there was an argument the Conservative Party “is in such a difficult place that his formidable campaigning skills are required once again”.

But he added: “On the other hand, his premiership came to an end for a reason, which is that there were serious questions about competence, credibility, and ethics and does the Conservative Party want to go back to that?”

Ms Truss’s 44 days in office falls months behind the next shortest premiership of Tory statesman George Canning, who spent 118 full days as PM in 1827 before dying in office.