New polling shows Tory backers want to bring back the charismatic former premier.

Tory former prime minister Boris Johnson (Image: Getty)

Most Tory voters want to ditch Kemi Badenoch and bring back Boris Johnson, new polling shows. The survey found 60% of Conservative backers at last year’s general election said the former prime minister would make a better leader than Mrs Badenoch.

Almost half – 45% – said they would be more likely to vote for the party at the next election if she was replaced. Mr Johnson also polled well with Reform UK voters with half preferring him as leader over Mrs Badenoch, according to the poll by Survation for The Telegraph.

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch (Image: Getty)

But allies of the Tory leader, who took over from Rishi Sunaj last November, have warned that another leadership contest would damage the party further.

It comes as the Conservatives have been languishing in the polls and have even fallen to a historic fourth place behind the Lib Dems in some.

The rise of Nigel Farage‘s party has been blamed for the party’s woes, and Sir Keir Starmer has admitted he is the main opposition.

Meanwhile, Mr Johnson, who led the Conservatives to a landslide victory in 2019, has been at the centre of ongoing comeback speculation.

He was forced out of Downing Street in 2022 following a series of scandals including Partygate and he went on to quit as Uxbridge and South Ruislip’s MP last year after a “witch hunt” investigation into the Partygate row.

But the Tory big beast vowed “I’ll be back” in a direct message to Daily Express readers.

A Conservative Party source said: “Changing leader again would be the worst possible step in trying to convince voters we’re a serious party who understand where we went wrong in the past.

“We all need to be focused on the real goal – kicking out this terrible Labour government that is making everything worse.”