He was a polarising figure for years at the top of British politics – and he’s not done with Parliament yet.

Boris Johnson will stand again as an MP at the next general election, a source close to the former prime minister has confirmed.

He will run for re-election in Uxbridge and South Ruislip at the next nationwide poll, expected to be held in 2024.

It would leave the door open for him to take another run to become prime minister, after he was left with no choice but to resign after dozens resigned from his government this summer.

Mr Johnson has been an MP in his west London constituency since 2015, winning it with a majority of 5,034 in 2017 and 7,210 in 2019, by which time he was prime minister. It has been a Tory seat since its creation in 2010.

The source confirmed Mr Johnson’s decision to stand for a fourth time after the Telegraph first reported that he told his local Conservative Party of his intention.

But if a continuing Commons investigation finds he committed contempt of Parliament by misleading MPs over lockdown-busting parties in Downing Street, Mr Johnson could face a fight for his seat in a by-election.

Since leaving No 10, Mr Johnson appears to have embraced life as a backbencher, tweeting about a number of constituency visits including to Ruislip Synagogue and Uxbridge High School this week.

He has also already started a lucrative post-prime ministerial career on the speaking circuit, having been paid £276,000 for a speech to American insurers barely a month after leaving No 10.

The party is braced for a growing exodus as opinion polls suggest the Conservatives are facing an almighty challenge to recover their popularity.

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