Former prime minister Mr Johnson has dissected his party’s performance in his Daily Mail column, saying the reasons why the Tories lost so many MPs were “complex” - but “the Yucatan asteroid in this catastrophe was obvious: it was Reform”.

Mr Johnson claimed to have heard from one Tory MP who “fully expected to win” but realised at the last minute “thousands” of Tory voters were opting for Reform, which in turn gave Labour a majority over both rivals.

“Repeat that phenomenon across the political landscape, and you begin to grasp the cause of the landslide,” he added, before turning his attention to Mr Farage.

He wrote: “I am afraid that the cheroot-puffing Pied Piper of Clacton has played a significant part - as he no doubt intended - in the destruction of the Tory government.”

Mr Johnson then offered advice for the Tories, while alluding to his own exit from Downing Street in June 2022.

“When we get back in, don’t be too hasty to get rid of successful election-winning leaders,” he said.

“As I never tire of telling people, some polls put us only two or three points behind, in the days before I was forced to resign in what was really a media-driven hoo-ha.”