Boris Johnson wants to run for a third term as prime minister despite a blunt week in which the Conservatives suffered two partial electoral defeats.
Speaking to reporters on the last day of the Commonwealth heads of government meeting in Kigali, Rwanda, Johnson said the government was “embarking on a colossal project to unite and rise in level”.
And when asked if he would lead the Conservatives to the next election, he said, “Will I win? Yes.
“I’m actively thinking about the third term and what could happen then. But I’ll review it when I get there.”
Less than three weeks ago, 41% of Conservative MPs said they did not trust the current leader after issues such as that of Partygate.
Johnson continued: “We have embarked on a massive project to change the government, the constitution of the country, the way we manage our legal system, the way we manage our borders, our economy. We are all kinds of things. different.
“We too, at the same time, are embarking on a colossal project to unite and rise in level.
But Johnson has had a difficult week, suffering defeats in two key by-elections in Wakefield, West Yorkshire and Tiverton and Honiton in Devon.
These were exacerbated by the subsequent resignation of Conservative party co-chair Oliver Dowden, who stated that “we can’t go on with business as usual” and that someone “has to take responsibility”.
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3:44 “I stuffed myself,” Johnson admits
Prime Minister hopes his trip to Rwanda will shed a positive light on the East African nation after his government’s controversial plan to relocate asylum seekers from the UK met with significant opposition .
The European Court of Human Rights stopped at 11 a.m. an attempt to take off a flight last week.
Read more: Prime Minister accuses critics of Rwanda’s deportation policy of “condescending attitudes”. Johnson’s partial election losses will slowly infiltrate like a poison into the bloodstream of the Conservatives What is the Northern Ireland Protocol and why does it matter?
Johnson admitted that the proposed immigration policy was not a “single magic bullet.”
“We are starting to see a deterrent effect, a bit of a deterrent effect,” he said, citing an official who told a House of Commons committee that the number of people arriving in the UK with small boats was growing to little more. rate than previously provided.
“I’m not saying we won’t have a very difficult summer, perhaps because traffickers need to be convinced that their business model is broken.
“I won’t pretend to say that Rwanda’s politics is the only magic bullet, but I think it can make a big difference.”
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The Johnson administration is also facing a debate on Monday on its amendments to the Northern Ireland Protocol.
The Minister for European Affairs of Ireland, Thomas Byrne, is one of those who say that the changes would violate international law.