LONDON: In a surprising move, former Prime Minister Boris Johnson joined the British election campaign on Tuesday to rally support for the Conservative Party and its leader, Rishi Sunak. Johnson, who won a significant majority in the 2019 election, was forced to resign in 2022 after a Conservative mutiny led by Sunak exposed deep divisions within the party.

As Johnson was welcomed with chants of "Boris! Boris!" from party supporters, he introduced current Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at a campaign event in London just two days before an election where the Conservatives are predicted to face heavy losses.

Johnson’s Rallying Speech

In his speech, Johnson highlighted many of his own achievements but gave little personal endorsement to Sunak. Instead, he focused on the potential dangers of the Labour Party gaining power. "None of us can sit back as a Labour government prepares to use a sledgehammer majority to destroy so much of what we have achieved," Johnson said.

He acknowledged the surprise of his appearance and expressed his willingness to help Sunak. "Of course I couldn't say no," he added. Despite their differences, Johnson emphasized that they were minor compared to the potential disaster if the opinion polls predicting a Labour victory were accurate.

Johnson’s Role in the Campaign

Johnson, a well-known figure in British politics and a proven election winner, has mostly stayed on the sidelines during the campaign, having quit frontline politics in 2023. He has endorsed individual candidates through video messages but had not appeared at major campaign events until now.

Sunak, who took the stage after Johnson but did not appear alongside him, expressed his gratitude to his predecessor for his support.

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