Boris Johnson statement IN FULL as ex-PM pulls out of Tory leadership race

Boris Johnson has pulled out of the Tory leadership contest – leaving his arch-rival Rishi Sunak in pole position to be ‘crowned’ PM within hours.

The former premier abandoned his dream of returning to No10, confessing he would be too divisive as a new leader.

In a sensational 9pm statement – published at exactly the same minute as an article by backer Nadhim Zahawi entitled ‘Get Ready for Boris 2.0’ – he admitted: “This is simply not the right time.”

He had jetted in from his Dominican Republic beach holiday to drum up support despite a chorus of Tories warning his comeback would destroy the party and the country.

But hours after backers tonight claimed he had the 100 MPs he needed to get on the ballot, Mr Johnson declared he would not be standing after all.

The arrogant MP boasted he had led the Tories into a “massive election victory” and was “uniquely placed to avert a general election now” by fulfilling the 2019 manifesto.

He added: “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.”

Here is the former Prime Minister’s statement in full.

Boris Johnson said: “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.

“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 (Sunak) and Penny (Mordaunt) – 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.”