London: If the buzz around is anywhere near the truth, then the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) aka North Atlantic Alliance is all set to get a new boss in the form of outgoing UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who is being touted as the frontrunner for the post amid warnings from Tories that he needs to stop encouraging a ‘Trumpish fantasy’ about staying in power, media reports said. Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s allies have suggested that he could replace Jens Stoltenberg as the Secretary General of the military alliance (North Atlantic Alliance) when, as expected, the Norwegian steps down in September next year, Daily Mail reported.
The lure of the high-profile post might be attractive to Johnson, but he would need to quit as an MP to take it. It comes as other supporters continue a grassroots campaign to allow him a chance to stay as the Prime Minister, reported Daily Mail.
Some 10,000 people claiming to be Tory members are backing a petition calling for him to be allowed to enter the current leadership election. No 10 Downing Street has insisted that he intends to leave office in September but Lord Cruddas, the Tory donor behind the campaign, has said the PM is having second thoughts.
Boris Johnson has personally yet to publicly comment on the claim, first made in the Telegraph UK. However, his former ally Steve Baker said he must quell any desire to reverse his departure.
It came as a new poll showed 70 per cent of all voters think he was right to quit – though Tory voters are evenly split, reported Daily Mail. A second senior MP, Sir Charles Walker, has also suggested party members be stripped of their power to decide who becomes the next PM.
(With agency inputs)
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