Boris Johnson Pledges to Fight On as Sajid Javid Calls Time on Parliamentary Career

Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson is embraced by Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer Sajid Javid before speaking to the workers as he visits a JCB factory during his general election campaign in Uttoxeter, Britain, on Dec. 10, 2019. Toby Melville/Reuters

Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson has confirmed he intends to stand again as MP for the Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituency, opening the door for a potential political comeback.

His decision comes as former Chancellor of the Exchequer and Health Secretary Sajid Javid announced he will be leaving Parliament at the next election.

The Conservative Party has given MPs until Dec. 5 to decide if they want to stand again at the general election, which could be held as early as the spring of 2023 or as late as January 2025. They have given the ultimatum in order to select candidates for seats where the incumbent plans to leave.

Johnson, 58, resigned as prime minister in July but retains a local coterie of supporters in the Tory party and was put under pressure to stand again in October when his successor Liz Truss resigned.

In the end, he chose not to, and there had been speculation he might call an end to his political career and opt for a life of writing books and newspaper columns combined with a lucrative career as a public speaker.

He was recently paid £276,000 for a speech to a group of U.S. insurers.

But Johnson—whose political hero Winston Churchill was an MP for almost 60 years and bounced back from an election defeat in 1945 to return to Downing Street in 1951—has reportedly confirmed his name will be on the ballot at the next election.

Johnson was first elected to the seat, which is on the western outskirts of London, in 2015 when he was still Mayor of London and was re-elected in 2017 and 2019.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson leaves the Boots Pharmacy in Uxbridge, west London, on Jan. 10, 2022. Dominic Lipinski/PA

His majority at the last election was 7,210 but a poll by Savanta ComRes in September suggested Johnson would lose the seat to Labour, which was 12 points ahead of the Tories at the time.

Richard Mills, the chairman of the local conservative association, told The Telegraph: “Uxbridge and South Ruislip Conservative Association fully support Boris Johnson as our local MP and candidate at any future election. Since his re-election in 2019, he has delivered on his plans for redevelopment and modernisation of Hillingdon Hospital as well as increasing police numbers across Uxbridge.”

Partygate Still Hangs Over Johnson

Johnson is however still being investigated by the House of Commons Privileges Committee over claims that he deliberately misled parliament over the partygate allegations.

If the charge is proven, he could be suspended from the Commons for a number of days and if it is more than 10 days it would trigger a petition under the Recall of MPs Act, which could trigger a by-election.

The Labour Party has not yet chosen a candidate for Uxbridge and South Ruislip and, according to political journalist and author Michael Crick, the selection process has been suspended by the London region of the party.

Connor Liberty, a 23-year-old PPE graduate, had been nominated by six out of the seven ward branches in the constituency.

But Crick wrote on Twitter on Friday: “London region Labour HQ has stepped in and taken over the current selection process, sacked the local selection committee, and declared the results of the previous ward nomination meetings ‘null and void.’”

Paul Convery, a Labour councillor in Islington, wrote on Twitter: “Indeed, as revealed by Connor Liberty’s LinkedIn page, this would be a surprisingly young candidate with no previous campaign experience in a highly visible constituency.”

Among a small group on the long list for Uxbridge and South Ruislip is Danny Beales, a councillor and member of the cabinet in the London Borough of Camden, which is home to Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer.

Johnson’s decision to stand again comes in stark contrast to Javid, who once challenged for the leadership of the party but has now decided to turn his back on politics.

Javid follows Tory MPs Chloe Smith, William Wragg, and Dehenna Davison, who have all chosen not to run again.

Javid Bids Farewell

Javid had a majority of more than 23,000 at the last election and was unlikely to lose his seat to Labour but he has chosen to walk away. Having been first elected in 2010, Javid has never sat on the opposition benches.

In a letter to the Bromsgrove Conservative Association which he posted on Twitter, Javid wrote: “Being the local MP and serving in government has been the privilege of my life and I am immensely grateful for the opportunity to serve.”

He said: “I always sought to make decisions in the national interest and in line with my values, and I can only hope my best was sufficient.”

Javid promised: “I will of course continue to support my friend the Prime Minister and the people of Bromsgrove in any way I can.”

Javid first joined the Cabinet in 2014, under David Cameron, and was appointed Home Secretary in 2018 by Theresa May. It was he who made the decision to strip Shamima Begum of her British citizenship.

He was appointed Chancellor the following year but resigned in February 2020 after Downing Street adviser Dominic Cummings sacked Javid’s aides.

Javid returned in June 2021 to become Health Secretary, replacing Matt Hancock, but resigned along with Rishi Sunak in July in protest at Johnson’s continued leadership, a move which ultimately ended with the prime minister stepping down.

PA Media contributed to this report.