BORIS Johnson looks set to take over from Theresa May as Prime Minister now she’s finally announced she will step down. The 54-year-old ex-Foreign Secretary revealed last week he WOULD run to replace her, and his campaign is set to be in full swing within days. The bookies have had him as the favourite for […]
BORIS Johnson looks set to take over from Theresa May as Prime Minister now she’s finally announced she will step down.
The 54-year-old ex-Foreign Secretary revealed last week he WOULD run to replace her, and his campaign is set to be in full swing within days.
The bookies have had him as the favourite for months, and Tory members insist he is the one they want to take them into the next election too and fight Jeremy Corbyn.
His charisma and bravado have already attracted voters from across the spectrum to him for years – giving him two successful terms as Mayor of London, and four election wins as an MP.
Leadership candidates have already been meeting with MPs for weeks, begging them for their support, and Boris has been no exception.
Boris has been smartening up with a new haircut, fresher suits, and he’s even lost weight to help win his more support.
And in recent days even Remainer MPs have coming around to the idea of Boris as PM, believing he might be the one to fight off Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party who are soaring in the polls.
The Tories are suffering a mauling from fuming voters for not delivering Brexit yet, and many think he’s the only one who can stop the Brexit Party tide.
But he’s got a huge task on his hands to avoid the pitfalls from the last leadership race.
Boris was set to run on a joint ticket with Michael Gove, who eventually knifed him in the back and went for it alone.
Just hours later after a morning of chaos, Boris dramatically pulled out of the race.
One Remainer MP told The Sun: “I won’t back Boris at the start but might do in the later rounds.
“Maybe we need a strong Brexiteer to take on Jeremy Corbyn and Nigel Farage. And it certainly can’t be Dominic Raab.”
Last night ex-minister Gavin Williamson was revealed to be helping Boris become PM, saying he’s the only Tory who can both deliver Brexit AND beat Labour.
His support with be vital for Boris as he’s got good relations with the Northern Irish party, the DUP, who could be vital in another government.
Loyal former minister Alastair Burt, when asked whether he could back Mr Johnson, he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “The answer to the question for almost all the candidates is yes.
“I would find it very difficult to support a candidate who said it was in Britain’s best interest to leave with no deal, leave straight away…
“I don’t expect any candidate really to say that.”
Rising star Johnny Mercer, who some said could run for the top job himself, confirmed he was backing Boris to bring the country back together.
He told ITV that he needed to “go out and inspire the party, bring them together, and get over this issue”.
Then Britain could get back to everyday business of governing, he predicted optimistically.
Scottish MP Stephen Kerr said: “For me and my Scottish Conservative colleagues, strengthening the union must be a very strong theme in the prospectus that any prospective leader offers the Scottish Conservatives.
“I think Boris is aware, from my conversations with him, that he has to project a different image to the people of Scotland, there’s no doubt about that. He recognises that challenge.
“The reality is that Boris is a major player in this contest, but whoever is going to lead the Conservative Party, whoever puts themselves forward to lead the Conservative Party, is going to have to be a unifier.”
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