Boris Johnson is ‘up for it’ with best talent from across party

Boris Johnson is prepared to offer a cabinet comeback to Rishi Sunak and Michael Gove if he wins the Tory leadership next week in an attempt to unite the party for a second term in office.

Allies of the former prime minister said he was keen to reach out to Sunak, whose resignation led to his ousting from Downing Street, and potentially offer him the job of foreign secretary.

He is also understood to want to make peace with Michael Gove, whom he sacked in his final hours in power, and bring him back into the cabinet.

They said Johnson, who had garnered the support last night of more than 40 MPs, had made clear he would run a “big tent” government bringing in