Boris Johnson has been tipped to have a strong chance at making a dramatic political comeback this year.
Bookmaker William Hill puts the former prime minister at 5/2 to return to the Cabinet in 2024.
Mr Johnson is also 4/1 to win a seat at the next general election.
William Hill spokesman Lee Phelps said: “The Conservative Party have already resorted to bringing back one former prime minister in David Cameron and we may see another back in the Cabinet before the year is out.
“There have been calls this week for Boris Johnson to return to the Tory Cabinet, something we think there’s a fair chance of at 5/2, while the controversial former leader is 4/1 to win a seat when the public next go to the polls.”
It comes amid growing momentum for the charismatic 59-year-old, who led the Tories to a landslide victory at the last general election, to make a return to frontline politics.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak last week refused to rule out bringing his former boss back into the fold.
Mr Sunak’s comments prompted other senior Conservative figures including Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove and former chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng to speak out in support of Mr Johnson playing a role at the next general election.
The ex-premier, who was forced out of Downing Street in 2022, quit Parliament last year following a “witch hunt” investigation into the Partygate row.
At the time, he vowed “I’ll be back” in a direct message to Daily Express readers.
Mr Johnson’s spokesman has “ruled nothing in or out” over his political future.
Mr Sunak brought former prime minister David Cameron back from the political wilderness by giving him a peerage so he could make him Foreign Secretary.
