Boris Johnson last night urged Tories to fight the next election on a pledge to cut taxes in an apparent divide with the approach taken by Rishi Sunak.
The ex-Prime Minister also called on the incumbent at No10 to introduce a new law to override the Northern Ireland Protocol in order to resolve the country’s Brexit impasse.
Johnson was speaking at the Carlton Club, where the unveiled a portrait of himself.
The speech was the former Tory leader’s most politically charged since he was forced out of office last year by his own MPs amid rumours he is set to mount a challenge to regain power.
Johnson’s rallying cry to cut taxes goes against senior Treasury sources who have strongly indicated there are none planned due to the weak state of public finances.
Boris Johnson arrives to deliver a speech at the Carlton Club
Victoria Jones
Addressing club members on Tuesday night, he said the party must “never give in, keep fighting, keep backing the Government - keep making the case for levelling up, for opportunities and for a dynamic low tax Britain.
“That is how we will win again.”
Mr Johnson provided an optimistic outlook on the future of the Tories, saying “the Conservative Party will recover”.
He added: “Because when the moment of real electoral decision approaches - and it will - people will realise that there is only one party that yearns to reduce the burden of tax.
“There is only one party that really believes in extending the joys of home ownership.
“There is only one party with the guts to stand up to the Union barons.”
His optimistic sentiments did not end there, as he anticipates China to “get through” Covid and “Putin will lose in Ukraine”.
Boris Johnson set out his vision at the Carlton Club
Image: GB News
On Brexit, Johnson said there was “only one party, the Conservative Party, that believes in the union with Northern Ireland and will pass the necessary laws to protect the economic integrity of the UK.”
He stated there was “only one party that will dare to do what is necessary to disrupt the evil gangs that send people across the Channel in unseaworthy vessels - by sending illegal immigrants to Rwanda.
“And there is only one party that really believes in Brexit - and its potential to transform the economy of this country.
“And only one party that will continue to make use of Brexit freedoms from financial services to genetic engineering.”
He said: “When people realise this - I think the political dynamic is going to change. There is no desire to vote for Keir Starmer, for Sir Crasheroonie Snoozefest.”
It comes after ex-Tory minister Mark Spencer told GB News to “never write off” Boris Johnson when asked if we were every likely to see him in frontline politics again.
Speaking to Gloria De Piero on The Real Me, he said: “You should never write Boris Johnson off. If you look back, everybody said he could never become Mayor of London, and he did it.
“And then they said, ‘well you’ll never get re-elected. Look at the polls, the polls are telling you you’ll never get re-elected’ and he did it.”
Spencer said Sunak is the “man for the moment” as he spoke about the prospect of him being usurped by Johnson.
He told GB News: “I think you write Boris Johnson off at your peril. He’s a hugely, hugely talented politician.
“We’ve got Rishi in as Prime Minister. Rishi is the man for the moment. He is clearly a very credible, bright, driven individual who’s fizzing with big policy ideas.
“I think Rishi is the man of this moment. That doesn’t mean that Boris has not got a big role in politics, in UK politics in the future.”
