Tories call on Boris Johnson to make up his mind over becoming MP

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/apr/26/tories-boris-johnson-becoming-mp

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Senior Tories have warned that Boris Johnson's dithering over whether to seek to become an MP in 2015 could dent his political credibility.

A significant number of Johnson's colleagues are publicly and privately expressing irritation that the London mayor has refused to quell speculation that he is intent on standing in the next general election. Many also believe the issue has become a distraction before the European and local elections.

The Observer understands that there is a growing body of opinion within the executive ranks of the influential 1922 committee of Tory backbenchers that Johnson should state his position now, with many of the opinion that he should stay out of parliament. One senior figure on the backbenches is understood this weekend to be contemplating launching a full-blown attack on Johnson's constant prevarication on the issue in order to force him to state his position publicly.

Charles Walker MP, the vice-chair of the 1922 committee, also called for Johnson to make a decision quickly. He said: "Boris needs to decide what he is doing. He needs to be decisive.

"Undoubtedly, he would be a great addition to parliament, but he needs to get on and decide what he is doing if he is to be taken seriously."

Another Tory MP, Brian Binley, who is treasurer of the 1922 committee, told the Observer that he believed that the Tory party should stop immersing itself in political intrigue but "get on with running the country".

He said: "I think Boris should make up his mind. At the end of the day, our job is to govern the country and his is to be the mayor of London. And all of this nonsense is meaningless to the wider world. For the political anoraks it may be interesting, but everybody else just wants us to get on with the job. Boris clearly has appeal. Of course that is true, but he has a job in London and that is the job he wanted to do, I assume. So he should get on with that."

Johnson has previously insisted that he would not return to the Commons before 2016, stating: "I made a solemn vow to Londoners to lead them out of recession, bring down crime and deliver the growth, investment and jobs that this city so desperately needs. Keeping that promise cannot be combined with any other political capacity."

However, sources close to the London mayor have reportedly indicated that Johnson may be changing his mind. Last week friends were reported as saying that Johnson would make his intention to return to national politics known well before the Tory conference in October.

If successful in the 2015 general election, Johnson would also serve out his term as London mayor, which does not end until 2016. However, his predecessor as Tory candidate for London mayor told the Observer that Johnson should settle on staying in City Hall, and put any aspirations to lead the Tory party to one side. Steven Norris, a former transport minister, who was appointed to the board of Transport for London by Johnson, said that Ken Livingstone had found it difficult to do both jobs and that this should be a warning.

He said: "There is no bar to Boris standing for a seat in 2015 and there is even a precedent. But it was not a comfortable one for Ken Livingstone, and I don't believe it would be any more comfortable for Boris.

"My advice to Boris is to do the job he is elected to the end of his term. I wouldn't be surprised if he stood for a third term. Frankly I think he would win."

David Cameron did nothing to stop the speculation when he said in an interview last week that he would welcome Johnson's return to parliament.

The prime minister told BBC Radio Oxford: "He obviously wants to complete his second term, but I don't think it's impossible to do that and to put yourself forward as a member of parliament at the next election."