Boris Johnson is strong enough to wound, but not powerful enough to conquer

Editorial: Whatever his charms, Johnson is unlikely to be able to overhaul a Labour lead just by going around the country making implausible promises

We may expect more and more Tories to talk wistfully about Johnson’s magic touch (PA)

Could 2023 be the year when Boris Johnson breaks another political convention and makes his comeback? It’s not the most pressing question on the national political agenda, but it’s certainly exercising the Conservative Party, which may only serve to prove how quite out of touch with “the people’s priorities” the party has actually become.

On social media, in Conservative circles, the dire state of the party is promoting some radical thinking. Believing that Mr Johnson was stabbed in the back by cowardly and treacherous ministerial colleagues last year, with Rishi Sunak helping lead the rebellion, Johnsonites have never stopped their shadow leadership campaign to get him reinstated.

In truth, it is a sign of some desperation. But as the party’s troubles show no sign of abating, economic recession starts to set in – and the Tories face a wipeout in the May local elections – we may expect more and more Tories to talk wistfully about Mr Johnson’s magic touch and the triumphs of the 2016 EU referendum and the 2019 general election. Much has changed since then, but to some he remains talismanic. After the political self-immolation of Liz Truss, the right of the Conservative Party is renewing its enthusiasm for Mr Johnson.