If he were to return for a another stint as PM, Mr Johnson would be echoing his hero Churchill, who became PM for a second time in 1951 six years after being turfed out of office at the 1945 election.
A short history of confidence matters in the House of Commons pressandjournal.co.uk - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from pressandjournal.co.uk Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
DOMINIC SANDBROOK shares the moment pubs across the country fell silent to hear the new King address the nation, and how their moving reaction predicts how Charles III could heal divisions