At the time she was home secretary and he had been installed as immigration minister – effectively her deputy – so, many at Westminster believed, he could keep an eye her on for Rishi Sunak, who distrusted her political ambitions. Two years on and the man she described as a “centrist Rishi supporter” and a Remainer from “the left of the party” has now made withdrawal from the convention the centrepiece of his Tory leadership bid in an audacious attempt to outflank his rivals from the right. This political re-invention helped propel him into the final run-off ballot of grassroots members which will decide the result – winning the backing of Ms Braverman in the process.
Supporters said he had been radicalised by his time in the Home Office, concluding the government could never get control of immigration as long as the UK remained bound by the decisions of the court in Strasbourg. Others, however, remain unconvinced, seeing instead an ambitious politician prepared to say whatever it takes to reach the top of the greasy pole. Should he succeed, it will represent a remarkable turnaround for the former corporate lawyer whose political career appeared dead in the water just three years ago.
Just two years after he was unexpectedly elevated to the Cabinet by Boris Johnson, he was unceremoniously sacked, his brief time in high office marked by scandal and controversy. However, his shock resignation last year, in protest against Mr Sunak’s failure to deliver on plans t.