A Boris Johnson comeback is the only way the Conservatives can defeat Reform UK, a new poll suggests amid rumours of a plot to oust Kemi Badenoch.
The former Prime Minister and Mayor of London is the only leader under which the Tories poll higher than Nigel Farage’s party, the survey by More in Common found.
Ms Badenoch’s leadership has been called into question following disastrous results at the local elections last week.
The Conservatives lost all 15 councils they were defending after Thursday’s vote, while Reform seized control of 10 town halls, won two elected mayors and a new MP.
A survey by More in Common, released on Tuesday, shows that a Tory party led by Ms Badenoch would lose to Reform.
Her main leadership rival Robert Jenrick, the shadow justice secretary, is even less popular with voters, the results suggest.
But almost 60% of Tory voters, and half of those who back Reform, said a comeback by Mr Johnson would be good for the Conservatives.
A third of Labour voters also agree.
In the hypothetical polling, Mr Johnson increases the Conservative vote by five points and reduces the Reform vote six points.
He converts an eight point lead for Mr Farage’s party into a three point Tory lead.
Backbench MPs are reportedly set to meet this week to discuss Ms Badenoch's future after they lost more than 600 councillors in last week's local elections.
Former leader William Hague has urged MPs not to “panic” and oust Kemi Badenoch after the drubbing.
He also rejected calls for a merger with Reform.
“A pretty important one, not to do something in a panic to switch leaders again without knowing what an earth where you would go, to try to merge with the Reform party..,” he stressed.
“Be clear this is not a Trump-style Conservative party,” he added on Times Radio.
“Learn from what has just happened in Canada and in Australia where Conservative parties have just been hammered in elections that they thought they were going to win a few weeks ago because they have been depicted as being another version of Donald Trump.
“Then, the other one is make the economy centre stage.
“The Labour government is now doing some good things on the economy but it’s in a real muddle after it’s very disappointing Budget last year, increasing taxes on employers employing people.
“The Conservatives really should be now showing again they have a strong economic agenda.”
