Boris Johnson has returned to Britain from holiday on Saturday to consider an audacious bid for a second term as prime minister.
Key points:
- Boris Johnson resigned as UK PM in July amid a series of scandals
- Just three candidates will be able to reach the first ballot on Monday afternoon
- The final two will be voted on by the 170,000 members of the Conservative Party on Friday
The upcoming race could pit him against his former finance minister Rishi Sunak, whose resignation in July helped drive Mr Johnson out of office.
Potential candidates to replace prime minister Liz Truss, who quit on Thursday after six weeks in office, were embarking on a frantic weekend of lobbying to secure enough nominations to enter the leadership contest before Monday's deadline.
Mr Johnson, who was on holiday in the Caribbean when Ms Truss resigned, has not commented publicly about a bid for his old job.
He has received the support of dozens of Conservative politicians, but needs 100 nominations to be considered.
Trade Department Minister James Duddridge said Mr Johnson told him he was "up for it".
He said Mr Johnson had secured 100 nominations, although a Reuters tally put him at just above 40 and Rishi Sunak at more than 110.
The new PM, a post that will have changed hands three times in four years, faces a huge inbox after Ms Truss's economic plans caused turmoil in bond markets, raised government borrowing costs and added further strains to households and businesses already struggling with a cost-of-living crisis.
The Sunday Times reported Mr Sunak, for now the bookmakers' favourite, and Mr Johnson could meet late on Saturday. It did not give details on any planned discussions.
Only former defence minister Penny Mordaunt has formally declared she would run, although a Reuters tally showed she only had 22 nominations.
Johnson's leadership polarising for Conservatives
It would be a stunning comeback for the former journalist and ex-mayor of London, who left Downing Street shrouded in scandal, saying fellow party members "changed the rules halfway through" to prevent him serving a full term.
In a boost to Mr Sunak another potential contender, Trade Minister Kemi Badenoch — who ran in the July leadership race — backed the former finance minister and so ruled herself out from another bid for the top job.
The prospect of another Boris Johnson premiership is a polarising issue for many in the Conservative Party, which is deeply divided after seeing off four prime ministers in six years.
For some Conservative politicians, Mr Johnson is a vote-winner, able to appeal across the country with his celebrity image and brand of energetic optimism.
For others he is a toxic figure who would struggle to unite the party and so might undermine efforts to build a stable leadership to calm rattled financial markets.
Former Interior Minister Priti Patel said her old boss had "the mandate to deliver our elected manifesto and a proven track record getting the big decisions right".
Andrew Bridgen, another Conservative, said he might resign from the parliamentary group if Mr Johnson returned and told Conservatives not to create a Johnson "personality cult".
Former Conservative party leader William Hague said Mr Johnson's return would lead to a "death spiral" for the party.
Mr Johnson is currently under investigation by Parliament's Privileges Committee to establish whether he lied to the House of Commons over lockdown-breaking parties.
Ministers found to have knowingly misled parliament are expected to resign.
The contest has been accelerated to take only a week.
Under the rules, just three candidates will be able to reach the first ballot on Monday afternoon, with the final two put to a vote on Friday that is limited to about 170,000 signed-up members of the Conservative Party.
Reuters