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Boris Johnson is “yearning” for estranged wife Marina Wheeler, despite being with Carrie Symonds, pals claim.

But they warn she will never have him back.

One said: “He would like what he had before.”

Friends of Mr Johnson, who claim he is pining for his ex-wife, fear that could be behind his row with lover Carrie.

The 55-year-old PM hopeful is said to be finding his split from Marina Wheeler extremely painful.

Pals even claim he was agonising over whether she could attempt a reconciliation, despite her starting divorce proceedings last year over his cheating.

But they also said Marina, his wife of 25 years and mum of four of his children, is still furious with him and would never take him back. One said: “This is a classic example of Boris wanting to have his cake and eat it.”

It comes as an expert warned Mr Johnson’s “erratic” personal life could leave him open to the threat of blackmail, making him a ­security risk in No10.

(Image: Jason Plett / SWNS)

(Image: Getty Images Europe)

He also faced fresh calls to come clean about what started his furious bust-up with 31-year-old Carrie, but last night still remained silent. And he fell behind PM rival Jeremy Hunt in the polls for the first time in a survey of Tory supporters.

The Sun has also reported that Johnson and his girlfriend have had four explosive rows in six weeks.

According to the newspaper, one friend said: “Carrie and Boris have an incredibly volatile relationship — this was by no means the first explosive row they’ve had.

“The past six weeks have been especially testing for them both. They’ve had a series of corrosive arguments, with things obviously coming to a head on Thursday.

“But they very nearly split up at the start of the month.”

One of the arguments reportedly took place after Johnson arrived home from a night out later than expected.

There were also suggestions Mr Johnson could be axed within 24 hours if he did become PM, if Labour tabled a no-confidence vote in him.

And he is said to be so disturbed about his divorce from Marina there have been ­questions raised about his fitness to run the country.

One pal said: “He is yearning for Marina and wistful and would like what he had before.

But there is no way on earth Marina would sanction any of that. She knows what Boris is feeling and Carrie probably knows what he’s feeling, too, which may explain their row.”

(Image: IAN VOGLER/DAILY MIRROR)

On Friday, worried neighbours had called police after they heard Carrie screaming, “Get off me, get out of my flat,” and a number of loud bangs. She was also reportedly heard saying he had ruined her sofa with red wine.

Her affair brought about the end of Mr Johnson’s marriage to barrister Marina, who had stood by him during numerous flings since their wedding in 1993 and even after he fathered babies with other women.

The pair confirmed they had ­separated last September.

The couple’s children, Lara Lettice, Milo Arthur, Cassia Peaches and ­Theodore Apollo, are believed to be angry at their dad over his divorce, a fact which friends say has particularly upset him.

They are said to have kept their distance at family get-togethers and have not yet met Carrie.

(Image: REX)

Lara, who is only five years younger than her dad’s lover, was reportedly overheard at a party calling him a “selfish b*****d”, before adding: “Mum is finished with him. She will never take him back now.”

There have been reports Mr Johnson wanted a quickie divorce so he could press ahead with plans to marry Carrie and move her into No10, should he win the leadership race.

But friends have since played down those claims.

Sources close to his family have also said he was “all over the place” and “psychologically unfit” to be a long-term partner for Carrie. A former boyfriend of hers claimed she had a history of “intense” relationships.

Oliver Haiste said his three-year ­relationship with the former Tory PR chief had been ­“tumultuous” and “high octane”.

He added: “Any ­relationship with Carrie is very intense and can burn brightly. It’s never boring.

“She often brings a lot of intensity to ­relationships, be they romantic or ­friendships. That passion can work the other way when she is not happy with you.

“When times are good, she is very loyal. When times are bad, she can go in the opposite direction and possibly, in my view, to excess.”

Mr Johnson is said by former colleagues to be volatile in private, with the capacity to fly into a rage. Whitehall ­officials who worked with him when he was Foreign Secretary claim he had been known to throw objects across the room in anger.

There is said to be tension within Mr Johnson’s l­eadership campaign about the role Carrie has played in it.

Sources claim she has referred to herself as the “First Lady” and claimed credit for his new-found seriousness and smarter appearance. One told Mr Johnson’s ­biographer, Sonia Purnell: “There was tension that she was getting a bit Hillary to his Bill. Too involved in campaign detail.”

(Image: Peter Macdiarmid/LNP)

Some of his aides have ­reservations about the level of ­influence environmental campaigner Carrie could have within No10. Election guru Lynton Crosby, who has been advising Mr Johnson, is said to have sought reassurance the relationship was serious.

The couple met when she was working at Tory campaign HQ and she got to know him better as a junior staffer on his 2012 re-election drive for Mayor of London.

A friend of the couple last night insisted their relationship was still strong, despite Friday’s bust-up in Camberwell, South London.

The pal said: “They’re in a very loving and stable relationship.

“They totally dote on one another. They’ve spent the weekend together after being driven out of their home in Camberwell and actually the events of the last few days have made them stronger than ever, but they really shouldn’t have to put up with this nonsense.”

Carrie’s friend Nimco Ali also played down the argument. She said: “Boris and Carrie are very loved up.

“People in love row, so what? They are human.

“If anything I think this thing has made them even stronger as a couple.”