Boris Johnson has hinted at a potential return to front-line politics in the future as he said all effective politicians have a “cockroach-like” drive to survive. 

The former prime minister suggested he could yet return and make a further contribution to public life. 

Asked about the possibility of a comeback, Mr Johnson told Times Radio: “The real answer is what Her Maj the Queen said, and I can say that without breaching any confidence; you should only do things if you think you can be useful.”

Asked if he was saying that he believed he could no longer be useful, he replied: “I’m not saying that.”

He continued: “For politicians to be effective, they must be like wasps in a jam jar. They’ve got to want continually, cockroach-like to survive and to continue. That’s not necessarily a despicable thing from the point of view of the electorate because we all need people who really, really want to do their best for us.”

Mr Johnson made the comments as he continued to promote his new book “Unleashed”. 

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