Boris Johnson ends comeback efforts for U.K. prime minister

Don’t call it a comeback.

Boris Johnson won’t run again for British prime minister after exiting the role amid scandal over the summer, he announced Sunday.

Johnson claimed to have 102 supporters to return as the Conservative Party’s leader, but was still a long shot to supplant opponent Rishi Sunak.

“In the course of the last days, I have sadly come to the conclusion that this would simply not be the right thing to do,” Johnson said. “Therefore I am afraid the best thing is that I do not allow my nomination to go forward and commit my support to whoever succeeds.”

Johnson stepped down as prime minister in July after sparking outrage for skirting COVID-19 restrictions to attend gatherings in a scandal referred to as “Partygate.”

He was replaced as prime minister by Liz Truss, who quit last week after just 45 days in office amid uproar over her abruptly cancelled economic proposals.

[ Liz Truss resigns as British prime minister, ending shortest-ever term amid economic and political chaos ]

The 58-year-old Johnson had attempted to gain the favor of his party’s lawmakers over the weekend, but ultimately backed out of the race.

“You can’t govern effectively unless you have a united party in Parliament,” Johnson said Sunday.

Sunak, who served as the U.K.’s chief secretary to the treasury from 2019-20 and as chancellor of the exchequer from 2020 until the summer, could now win the race on Monday. The Conservative Party candidate previously finished in second place behind Truss in his attempt to replace Johnson earlier this year.

“There will be integrity, professionalism and accountability at every level of the government I lead and I will work day in and day out to get the job done,” Sunak, 42, said Sunday.

Johnson, who was born in New York City, held the role of British prime minister from July 2019 until his exit this year.

With News Wire Services