Could Boris Johnson now become Nato boss? Rishi Sunak hints at foreign role for ex-PM after he rejects tilt at a return to power despite insisting he had enough backers, sparking disappointment among supporters who insist he would have WON

• The former premier rejected attempting an unlikely No10 return last night 
• One of the foreign policy success stories of his tenure was backing for Ukraine
• New leader of the military alliance is expected to be elected in September 2023 

Boris Johnson could be handed a top foreign diplomacy role after turning down an opportunity to become prime minister for a second time.  

The former premier rejected attempting an unlikely No10 return last night that leaves his former chancellor Rishi Sunak in prime position to take power today. 

One of the few foreign policy success stories of Mr Johnson’s term in office was backing for Ukraine in its fight against the Russian invasion. 

And Mr Sunak has hinted that Mr Johnson could build on that role, telling The Westminster Hour on BBC Radio 4: ‘Although he has decided not to run for PM again, I truly hope he continues to contribute to public life at home and abroad.’

One role that could attract Mr Johnson’s attention is that of Nato secretary general.  A new leader of the military alliance is expected to be elected in September 2023, after the term of incumbent Jens Stoltenberg was extended by a year due to Vladimir Putin’s warmongering.

However it remains to be seen how many of the other member states would be prepared to back his candidacy. 

The former premier rejected attempting an unlikely No10 return last night that leaves his former chancellor Rishi Sunak in prime position to take power today. 

A new leader of the military alliance is expected to be elected in September 2023, after the term of incumbent Jens Stoltenberg (pictured left, with Mr Johnson in March)  was extended by a year due to Vladimir Putin’s warmongering.

Sunak-supporting Tory MP Steve Brine did not rule out the possibility of Mr Johnson taking an ambassadorial position, telling the same programme ‘yes, possibly’ when asked about it.

The Winchester MP added: ‘What Rishi will not do is repeat the mistake of the two (former and current) prime ministers and double down and only appoint his friends and those who supported him. It would be across the board, I’m sure.’

Mr Johnson has overseas experience, having been foreign secretary under Theresa May from July 2016 to June 2018.

But his time there was overshadowed by some major gaffes. The most high profile was his role in the case of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe. 

The British-Iranian was jailed for almost six years on trumped up spying charges, a situation exacerbated by comments by Mr Johnson. 

Ms Zaghari denied claims by the Tehran regime that she was teaching journalists, but he then told the Commons: ‘When we look at what Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was doing, she was simply teaching people journalism, as I understand it, at the very limit.’ 

She was eventually released earlier this year when the UK paid an outstanding debt of almost £400million. 

He was also born in New York City and grew up for a time in the 1970s in Brussels, where he returned as The Daily Telegraph’s correspondent from 1989 to 1994 and became a darling of Eurosceptics including then-prime minister Margaret Thatcher.

Mr Johnson had returned home from a Caribbean holiday at the weekend as he plotted a return to No 10 less than two months after being ousted following a series of scandals, but later ruled out standing.

In a statement on Sunday evening, he said there was a ‘very good chance’ he could have been back in No 10 by the end of the week if he had stood but admitting he could not unite his warring party.

His efforts to ‘reach out’ to his rivals – Mr Sunak and Ms Mordaunt – to work together in the national interest – had not been successful, he said, so he was dropping out.

He lagged far behind Mr Sunak in public declarations of support but claimed to have amassed at least 102 nominations, though his public tally never topped 60.

Some of his supporters today remained convinced he could have won the election, given his popularity with grassroots Tories. 

Cabinet Office minister Brendan Clarke-Smith said: ‘I am disappointed that Boris Johnson has pulled out of the race to lead the Conservatives. Having secured the nominations necessary, he would have no doubt won in a ballot of party members.

‘However it is also important to command the support of the parliamentary party and he therefore took the dignified decision to put what is best for the country ahead of himself. I would now encourage others to do the same.’

Others were less measured. One Tory staffer working for a Boris-backing MP told Polito’s London Playbook: ‘If I f**ing see him, he better hope he’s got a quick flight back to the Dominican Republic. What a complete and utter f*ing s** to march people up like this and say to people ”oh yeah, it’s definitely happening’.” 

Sir Keir Starmer said he put his head in his hands at the prospect of Boris Johnson running for the Tory leadership.

He told LBC his ‘first sentiment’ on hearing Mr Johnson had ruled himself out of the race for No 10 was that ‘he didn’t have the numbers’ required to secure a spot on the Tory ballot.

‘But when he first said that he was going to run, and everybody was sort of rallying around, I did put my head in my hands and think, so, really, we’re going to go from the prime minister who’s just crashed the economy … back to the guy that only … months ago, most of us were saying was unfit for office,’ he said.

‘It was never going to work, I don’t think.’

He added: ‘The less time now spent on this sort of chaotic, ridiculous circus at the top of the Tory party, the better.’

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