Boris Johnson 'could govern again', says Peterborough MP Paul Bristow

Peterborough MP Paul Bristow says the message in his constituency is loud and clear - 'Bring back Boris'

The MP for Peterborough believes Boris Johnson "could govern again" following a tumultuous 44 days of Liz Truss in power.

Paul Bristow, the Conservative MP for Peterborough, says the message of 'Bring back Boris' is "loud and clear" in his constituency, as he appeared to throw his support behind the former leader.

He believes Mr Johnson "could govern again" if he gets to the final two of the Conservative leadership contest.

Ms Truss resigned on Thursday after serving for just over six weeks, following a number of economic U-turns and resignations.

Speaking outside No 10, she said a leadership contest would be launched - with a new prime minister in place within a week.

Mr Bristow said: "I was in the constituency in Peterborough this weekend, I went to Diwali festival, The Great Eastern Run and I did some campaigning.

"The message load and clear of ordinary, decent people in Peterborough and Conservative voters - was bring back Boris.

"Now look it's a fast moving situation and I don't know what's going to happen. I don't know if Boris is going to throw his hat into the ring."

When asked about the scandals that Mr Johnson faced during his time at No 10, Mr Bristow said: "I think we need a proven election winner. And the only person that I could see that could win us back those seats is Boris Johnson.

"Now look let's see what happens. I don't know who is going to throw their hat into the ring.

"We don't know what's going to happen it's all speculation at the moment."

He continued: "But I think a lot of my colleagues owe their seats to Boris Johnson. We won in the red wall, we won seats that we'd never won before.

"And Boris Johnson is still very popular in those constituencies and places like Peterborough.

"Let's just see. I don't know if he wants it, but let's just see. I think he will do very well."

Mr Bristow explained that he "never wanted Boris Johnson to go".

"He won that mandate and I think he deserved the opportunity to govern and then have his judgement based on the British people," he said.

"The British people should've made that judgement, not my Conservative colleagues. But that was then and this is now.

"We're 19 points behind in the polls. We've got lots of seats where it's looking like we might be wiped out in.

"Boris Johnson turned it around once, he could turn it around again."

When asked how likely it is that Mr Johnson will be voted for by members, he said: "Let's wait and see what the rules are going to be.

"It may have changed, this is a fast moving situation.

"And as I said we don't even know if Boris Johnson wants to do it.

"But I think if he was in those final two, the members would vote for Boris Johnson.

"All that I know is that the public out there, wanted Boris Johnson in 2019.

"He had that mandate, he could go on and govern again."