WHEN Boris Johnson was dragged kicking and screaming from Downing Street in July, he warned that “the herd instinct is powerful and when the herd moves, it moves”.

But in what could potentially be his final power move, the former prime minister has added to his legacy with a failed bid to take the keys to Number 10 for a second time.

In his resignation speech outside Downing Street in July, Mr Johnson pointed to Cincinnatus, who was recalled from his farm to save ancient Rome from crisis – maybe an acknowledgement he was always going to try and force his way back into power, given half the chance.

No prime minister has served a second spell in Downing Street since Winston Churchill – an idol of Mr Johnson. But his latest stunt is further proof, as if it was needed, that Mr Johnson will be remembered for an addiction to power.

On Sunday night, Mr Johnson claimed he had enough support from Tory MPs to breach the 100 votes needed to get his name on to the Conservative leadership ballot.

But, he confirmed he was pulling out of the race, despite claiming he was “well placed” to lead his party to victory in the next election.

He said: “I believe I am well placed to deliver a Conservative victory in 2024 – and tonight I can confirm that I have cleared the very high hurdle of 102 nominations, including a proposer and a seconder, and I could put my nomination in tomorrow.”

He added: “There is a very good chance that I would be successful in the election with Conservative Party members – and that I could indeed be back in Downing Street on Friday.”

He closed his statement by saying: “I believe I have much to offer but I am afraid that this is simply not the right time.”

The shameless bid to return to Downing Street oozed from the personality cult that was partly to blame for getting the Conservatives into this mess in the first place.

Loyalists to Mr Johnson like Jacob-Rees-Mogg, Boris haircut copy-cat Michael Fabricant and staunch ally Nadine Dorries have backed him to the hilt, even putting their self-respect on the line.

Nadhim Zahawi, who as newly-appointed chancellor amid the campaign to remove Mr Johnson from office, called on him to resign, saying “you must do the right thing and go now”.

But in a highly embarrassing and mortifying U-turn on Sunday night, Mr Zahawi managed to have an article published with the Telegraph boasting his support for Mr Johnson, or “Boris 2.0” – moments before the former PM announced his was stepping aside.

In an excruciating tweet, Mr Zahawi admitted “a day is a long time in politics”.

There were also reports that he had put in multiple calls to the Telegraph, pleading with journalists to delete his painfully out-of-date article.

Even yesterday, Mr Fabricant claimed those loyal to the former prime minister feel “betrayed” he has chosen not to stand.

But as soon as Mr Sunak was crowned as the next prime minister, those loyal to Mr Johnson were crowing about the need for party unity, unable to see the irony.

But where does this leave Mr Johnson?

The chances of him serving in Mr Sunak’s new cabinet are verging on impossible.

Ms Dorries yesterday said that even though he was not returning to Downing Street, “that doesn’t mean it’s the end of Boris Johnson”.

But with the Conservatives plummeting in the polls, a trend that began with the Partygate scandal that tainted Mr Johnson and Mr Sunak, despite the events of the last two months, it is unlikely we will see another Tory leader until after the next general election.

The likelihood is that the next Tory leader will be in opposition, rather than the prime minister.

Mr Johnson is unlikely to want to lead the Tories from the other side. If we’ve learnt anything from his latest desperate leadership bid and the way in which he was taken kicking and screaming from Downing Street, it is clear that a thirst for power drives Mr Johnson’s political ambition.