The choice Conservatives face this week is critical for the nation. Our next prime minister will have their work cut out for them. We are now in unchartered territory. They must unite the Conservative Party and guide the country through the rough seas ahead.
I entered politics because I wanted to help make sure Britain succeeds. Having fled Iraq under Saddam Hussein, I feel an ineffable debt of gratitude to this most special country. We are a nation of fighters. We bounce back. With a renewed focus on delivery and the right leadership, we will weather the storm.
That leadership must once again come from Boris Johnson.
After apologising for his mistakes and reflecting on his failures, he is a reinvigorated man. He retains his razor-sharp wit, ability to inspire and common touch. But he has also evolved.
The evolution of Boris
This summer as chancellor of the exchequer, I saw Boris 2.0 emerging. After that undeniably difficult time, he was genuinely contrite and honest about his mistakes and his part in where things went wrong. He finally had the headroom to focus. This manifested itself in real, if unheralded, delivery successes.
Together, Boris and I unlocked more investment in nuclear energy. We finally got the Aria advanced research organisation up and humming to drive cutting-edge innovation.
We committed even more billions of pounds to both the defence of Ukraine and its reconstruction as brave Ukrainians repel Russia.
He is now absolutely clear on the renewed importance of organisation, good governance, and party unity. He has committed to building a broad Cabinet. I hope that my friends Penny Mordaunt and Rishi Sunak will be in that team as well.
Boris will not only reunite the party, but he will deliver on the winning mandate granted to him by the British public in 2019. Let us not forget who it was who led us to that 80-seat landslide and the highest percentage of the vote for any party in more than 40 years.
Never underestimate the underdog
Nobody else can better face off the threat posed by Sir Keir Starmer and win elections. After all, Britain loves an underdog.
The latest polling shows this, with Boris once again fighting fit and performing best in this race on who would be the better prime minister. He commands an even bigger lead among those who voted for us in 2019 – voters in the Red Wall who trusted him to deliver for the communities Labour failed for so long. As the co-founder of YouGov, I can see the best route to victory at the next general election in Boris.
Our manifesto delivery was disrupted by events – few foresaw the pandemic or war in Europe. But through both of these, he provided the leadership we needed. Firstly, he broke the deadlock no one else could and got Brexit done – we’re out!
Next, during my time as vaccines minister, we worked together to deliver the world’s best vaccine campaign, saving countless lives. At a crucial moment in our fight against Covid, he backed me to order many more doses of vaccine than most thought necessary, in the event of another mutation. That’s how we kept schools open and hospitals working through omicron.
He also backed Ben Wallace to arm Ukraine early against the advice of some, and the UK led the international response to Russia’s brutal illegal invasion. It is no surprise that Ukraine’s official Twitter account tweeted its support for his return. His clout on the world stage will help ensure our alliance stays strong.
Getting on with the job
In two years' time, we need to look back on a legacy of delivery. That means delivery on the immediate energy and cost of living crisis, and on our promises made to the British people. Levelling up, turning Global Britain into a great trading nation once again, giving our NHS the backing it needs – the list goes on. Now is the time to get back on with the job.
While his return is sooner than many of us expected, Boris 2.0 is best placed now to unite our party, deliver for the country and win the next election. The stakes couldn’t be higher. Now is the time for everyone to get behind him.
Nadhim Zahawi is the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
Get ready for Boris 2.0, the man who will make the Tories and Britain great again
Fresher, stronger and more compassionate than before, he is the outstanding choice to lead our country through rough seas