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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Zoe Delaney

Top Tory says government saga won't 'have happy ending' as he predicts Johnson comeback

Lord Jeffrey Archer predicts Boris Johnson could return as Prime Minister, following Liz Truss' resignation yesterday.

The ex-Conservative vice-chair says if the former Prime Minister gets down to the final two candidates in the upcoming Conservative Party leadership election, he will enter 10 Downing Street once again - explaining how you can never write the politician off.

Archer told Good Morning Britain viewers how whenever you think Johnson is dead "he gets back up and starts walking again", but he won't be voting for the former PM in the leadership election later this month - revealing who he will be backing instead.

Thursday was another eventful day for British politics, with Liz Truss resigning from her position after just 44 days in No 10 - making her Britain's shortest-serving Prime Minister ever.

Lord Jeffery Archer made some sensational comments on Good Morning Britain today (ITV)

In a statement of just 88 seconds, Truss said she was unable to deliver on her mandate from the summer's Conservative Party leadership election.

Within hours of the Prime Minister resigning, it was reported that Johnson is considering a sensational return to frontline politics - less than two months after he was ousted over a string of scandals, from Partygate to sleaze.

Returning to our screens this morning, Good Morning Britain broadcasted a special political version of the show - as Susanna Reid reported live from Westminster and Kate Garraway and Adil Ray in the studio to interview guests like Johnson's father Stanley Johnson about what will happen next for the government.

Archer predicts an 'unhappy ending' for the Tory party amid the chaos (ITV)

"I'm not sure we're going to have a happy ending but what’s happening is going to be fascinating," Archer admitted when speaking with Susanna.

"If Boris Johnson gets to the final two, he will win and return to Downing Street," the author continued, before revealing he will be voting for Rishi Sunak again in the leadership election.

"He [Boris] is staggering. Whenever you think he's dead, he gets back up and starts walking again. I wouldn't be surprised if he gets the 100 votes [needed to run].

Johnson has a way of coming back from the dead, Archer says (AFP via Getty Images)

Any Conservative Party MP that wishes to run in the leadership election will need the backing of 100 of their peers, with nominations starting this evening and closing at 2pm on Monday.

The final ballot will close at 11am on Friday 28 October and the new prime minister will be announced later the same day.

"I want stability and whoever wins they should back them 100%," Archer added when discussing who will become the country's next prime minister.

"We have to back the winner and put the country first," he declared when wrapping up his chat on the ITV show.

Truss' resignation has caused even more chaos for the Tories (Getty Images)

Elsewhere on today's Good Morning Britain, political commentator Iain Dale called backbench Tory MPs 'a law upon themselves', as he mused a potential Johnson comeback.

"I think he'd be better sitting this one out and wait until the next one but Boris is Boris and he will do what he likes," he admitted when appearing alongside Jacqui Smith on the show to discuss the latest government saga.

"If he gets through to the final two [in the leadership election] he will win - whether it's Sunak or Mordaunt.

"Tory backbenchers are a law upon themselves so I wouldn't be surprised if he gets the 100 [nominations to proceed to the ballot]."

*Good Morning Britain airs weekdays from 6am on ITV and ITVHub

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