Boris Johnson won’t help Sunak win back the Red Wall

What are we to make of today’s rather breathless story in the the Times suggesting that Boris Johnson will make a ‘comeback’ at the general election? The nature of the return being touted is hard to pin down. An unnamed source ‘familiar with Johnson’s thinking’ tells the newspaper he is primed to campaign in marginal constituencies, make speeches and appear on leaflets. ‘Just as he has always supported the Conservative party he will do so now,’ it is claimed.

Another unnamed source, this time a government one, adds that there will be no joint appearance with Rishi Sunak, but that Boris is ‘up for it’ and that the relationship between the two men ‘is in a fairly good place’.

So what is it all about? Is Johnson going to clear his diary to help his hated usurper out of the goodness of his heart and an overarching loyalty to the Tories? Or are we talking about a token effort – a couple of wet Wednesdays in Wigan and Worksop and a few photos of him with his Honey Monster arms draped around the shoulders of a Clarke-Smith here and a Gullis there? 

Former Cabinet minister and longtime Boris confidante Nadine Dorries is in no doubt, claiming on social media that the report has been ‘panic placed by No.