Boris Johnson will be conspicuous by his absence during this General Election - not by design, his allies stress, but because the Election was as much of a surprise to him as to the country.
Click here Boris Johnson will be conspicuous by his absence during this General Election campaign – not by design, his allies stress, but because the Election was as much of a surprise to him as to most of the country. The ex-PM has booked a series of foreign trips that will take him out of the UK for the majority of the critical period.
During a break in proceedings – being held to sift ten candidates down to three, who would then be voted on by the Association – a senior member of the executive committee is alleged to have 'leaned' on his colleagues to remove Mr Akinbusoye from the shortlist because 'the Association is bound to select him'.
As for Johnson himself, his allies dismiss calls from Tory MP Andrea Jenkyns for him to stand in the Election. Although Johnson spoke to Sunak about unrelated matters the day before the announcement on Wednesday, the PM has still not directly asked him to take part in the campaign. Discussions about his role are being held through two intermediaries: Johnson ally Lord Kempsell and Mr Sunak's campaign chief Isaac Levido.
The source added: 'He'd need to give up his seat in the Lords, so it's a big gamble. He hasn't been blocked but they have not exactly made it easy for him. Essentially, he needs to have a seat lined up where he knows an Association will pick him – but that has not been done. So he's leaving it until the next Election.'
EXCLUSIVEREAD MORE: We'll vote for whoever keeps our benefits! Shameless benefits scroungers in Britain's 'most deprived' seaside town say they don't care who wins election... as long as they get their free cash Advertisement Increasingly, powerful Conservatives feel the same. Last week, as Sunak blindsided his base with a snap Election, there was a dinner of Tory party grandees.
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