Boris Johnson is at the centre of speculation he could make a general election comeback to help save the Tories.
The charismatic ex-premier could campaign for the party in northern Red Wall seats won at his 2019 landslide victory.
A source close to Mr Johnson said: “Boris is a Tory through and through and would campaign for the Conservative Party whoever is leader.
“He will set out the case against Starmer and spell out how the election victory was won with the agenda of 2019 and then delivering the hard-won Brexit freedoms.
“If the Tory party do want to make use of Boris’s skills, he will, of course, put them to good use.”
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But there are reports the former Uxbridge and South Ruislip MP wants a personal call from Prime Minister Rishi Sunak before he steps in.
Relations between the two men are said to have thawed in recent months following tensions.
It comes as the Conservatives are behind Labour by around 20 points in the polls.
Meanwhile, Ashfield MP Lee Anderson this week defected to Reform UK after losing the Tory whip in an Islamophobia row.
