BORIS Johnson was just doing the statesmanlike act.
He put the national interest above his ambitions, ego, and determination to correct the injustice caused by his summer sacking.
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Johnson was willing to go to war with his party until the last moment.
He and his team were prepared to go over the heads of those Westminster MPs who cannot bring themselves to vote for him and appeal directly to the Tory Party’s rank and file membership.
That would have been a terrible mistake. MPs are democratically elected. However, party members are not democratically elected.
By doing so, he would have ignited the blue touch paper that will be the mother of all bonfire evenings.
He listened to wiser advice.
He was urged to spurn all thoughts of vengeance — however justified — against those who brought him down in July.
They also included Rishi Sunak, his former Chancellor, who was forced to resign effectively forcing Boris out Number 10.
Rishi won the vote among elected MPs by a wide margin.
Boris had just crossed the 100-vote threshold. Unending civil war would have been triggered by such a showdown.
Instead, he sensationally quit leadership wars, leaving Rishi Unak as the new Prime Minister.
After intense talks between the men, the bombshell was delivered late yesterday evening.
Boris’s decision, “in the national interest”This ends the long-running Downing Street bloodbath that has paralysed Britain’s economy and embarrassed Britain on the international stage.
Walking out on Election Day
Despite receiving enough votes for a sudden death playoff among 180,000 grassroot party members, Johnson gave up.
At one point his camp signalled he was determined to press ahead.
Campaign manager Chris Heaton-Harris messaged allies: “OK everyone! There are some very positive news!
“Thanks to all your hard work I can confirm we have completed all the paperwork to be on the ballot tomorrow.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!”
After intense discussion between the men, Johnson made his astonishing U-turn at 9 p.m.
He would withdraw from the race and put his weight behind Rishi, who will be his PM.
BoJo had just spoken 24 hours earlier to urge Mr Sunak not to step down in favour of his own return at Number Ten.
He also weighed the probable convulsions and the effects on political stability, as well as the potential consequences of a Labour Election Walkover.
After months of incompetence and intrigue, the objective is to make it possible for stability.
It reached a crisis during Liz Truss’s shambolic six weeks as Prime Minister and Kwasi Kwarteng’s catastrophic mini Budget.
We have seen a record number of Chancellors and Prime Ministers within the last four months.
BoJo would have been able to defeat the ex-Chancellor if he had decided to run.
Mr Sunak is blamed by some for bringing Boris down as Prime Minister with his dramatic resignation in July.
However, victory would have been a bitter pill with MPs feeling resentful of being overthrown and unable to vote by elected members.
Even before the decision, some were threatening to revolt over new laws on illegal immigration, green issues, fracking and spending cuts.
Johnson was also confronted by his own party over a Labour-led investigation into claims that he lied about Partygate to parliament.
Steve Baker, Northern Ireland minister had pledged yesterday that he would vote against Boris if the latter became Prime Minister.
“When the Privileges Committee report comes, as it will, his Government will implode,”He warned.
“I am not willing to lay down my integrity for Boris Johnson.”
Global recession
Other MPs threatened to cut the Tory majority and force by-elections. This could lead to a disasterous General Election.
Polls showed a likely Labour landslide and an end to Conservative power for a generation.
Boris Johnson might be a vote-magnet for millions, but even so, he would not have been able to turn the tide in what is likely to become a global recession.
This is Rishi Sunak’s chance to restore the extraordinary popularity he built during his early years as Chancellor.
He now has to make Brexit work for Britain, and justify the Leave vote of 2016.