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Boris Johnson will continue to "throw stones" into Theresa May's plan at Checkers in the weeks leading up to the Conservative conference, but has no intention of launching an immediate leadership offer, her close ally said.
Sources close to the former foreign minister said his main goal was to persuade the prime minister to abandon his plans for a free trade agreement, even if they did not deny that his final ambition was to stay in 10th place.
The Conservative party erupted into an open civil war last weekend after Johnson described May's Brexit plan as a "suicide vest" for the UK, prompting him to claim he was trying to divert attention from his wedding.
Furious Brexiters claimed that Johnson was the target of Downing Street's smear campaign, which No. 10 denied, but the schism announced a period of turmoil toward the party's conference at the end of the month.
The campaign for Brexit against the Checkers plan, led by the Eurosceptic European research group, seemed to have stalled Monday amid uncertainty about the publication of its long-awaited alternative proposals.
A friend of Johnson said, "Will he lead the ERG and file it now? The answer is no. His plan is still to show what he believes to be the Ladies' failures and to change her mind and return to Lancaster House.
"Yes, he talks to them, but he does not want to be confronted with a leadership challenge, that's not what interests him. He is interested in changing the policy, not the prime minister. Everyone knows that he will eventually want to become a leader. But not now."
Johnson plans to use his newspaper column as the conservative conference approaches to persuade May to change his mind. In her Lancaster House speech in January 2017, she proposed a "comprehensive, bold and ambitious" free trade agreement with the EU.
It is believed that the former secretary of foreign affairs does not have direct contact with the prime minister, although his lunch with chief whip Julian Smith last week has sparked speculation that the communication channels remained open.
The MP has planned to spend only one day at the conference, where he should address a rally of "Chuck Checkers" bringing together up to 1,000 conservative activists. It seems he refused at least one request for a high-profile broadcast interview.
A second ally said, "He will continue throwing stones at Checkers because he thinks he should change direction. He does not throw them to the PM. Like all anti-checker voices, he thinks it should go back to the original version of Lancaster House, backed by a larger part of the conservative party. "
Last weekend, it was also reported that a file on Johnson's personal life, created by a member of the May 2016 campaign team, had recently circulated in Westminster. Johnson's camp believes No. 10 and CCHQ have planned to "get inspired" in recent days.
However, Downing Street has denied any involvement in the creation or dissemination of any record. "Any involvement of No 10 is categorically untrue and offensive," said the prime minister's spokesman.
Johnson's reports with Carrie Symonds, the former Conservative Party Communications Officer, dominated the weekend papers, but his relatives said the turmoil did not distract him from his attacks on Checkers. "He will not be deviated," said one of them.
They also rejected claims that he had "cleared the bridges" by announcing his divorce before a possible offer of leadership. "For Marina [Wheeler] Timing is not a priority, it's quite understandable that she just wants to move on. "
The MP and his wife, with whom he has four children, reportedly decided to split earlier this summer while he was still secretary of foreign affairs. We expect her to file divorce papers this week.
Number 10 was supposed to invite backbenchers to dinners this week before a decisive cabinet meeting Thursday to discuss preparations without agreement. Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab will publish immediately after the second series of newspapers without a market.
Former Brexit Minister Steve Baker, who resigned in July over Checkers, said the Conservatives would face a catastrophic breakup if May counted on Labor's votes to get his proposals to parliament.
He said at least 80 conservative MPs would be willing to vote against the plan, which, according to the Eurosceptics, ties the UK too much to the EU in regulation and alignment, which could hinder future trade agreements. Conservative insiders said the figure was optimistic.
Baker asked questions when GRE released its alternative plan. "We are not the government. It is not up to us to decide on the policy to follow, we wish to make useful suggestions. We will focus on one or two key issues and we will not be convinced by the interest in our ideas, "he said.
The Brexiters said Monday that the review of the boundaries of independent constituencies had "aroused suspicion" because the leading eurosceptics, including Johnson, David Davis, Priti Patel and Iain Duncan Smith, had all lost their seats.
"There is a general consensus that the party is more concerned with getting rid of the opposition to the difficult Checkers and Eurosceptics than it does at the next general election. This raises suspicions of a concerted campaign, "said one of them.
