Boris Johnson brings back elections guru to revamp partnership

[LONDON] Boris Johnson told Conservative lawmakers he was bringing back elections guru Lynton Crosby to offer regular strategic advice, as he vowed to get a grip on his government following a damning report into lockdown parties at Downing Street.

The UK prime minister said Crosby, the Australian strategist who helped him win two terms as London mayor, would help get the government back on track, two people familiar with the matter told Bloomberg.

Johnson addressed a meeting of rank-and-file Conservative MPs on Monday evening, after apologising in Parliament following an interim report from senior civil servant Sue Gray that slammed "failures of leadership and judgment."

Crosby was widely credited with helping the Conservative Party win the 2015 general election after five years of coalition government, and he worked with Johnson to secure two consecutive victories as mayor of London in 2008 and 2012.

Many Tory members of Parliament want Johnson to get back to focusing on core issues raised by their constituents and believe the current drip-drip of allegations, dubbed "partygate" by the UK media, are a huge distraction that have led to plunging poll ratings. BLOOMBERG