Boris Johnson insists leadership questions 'settled' as ally casts doubt on 'third term' plan

Boris Johnson insisted he was not worried about Tory plotting back home as he continues his diplomatic blitz abroad

Boris Johnson has insisted he’s not worried by rebel Tories plotting to oust him – saying the question of his leadership is “settled”.

The Prime Minister dismissed mounting anger in his own party in the wake of two damaging by-election defeats as he sought to shift focus on his diplomatic efforts abroad.

But a key Cabinet ally cast doubt on the Prime Minister’s plan to stay in No10 until the 2030s.

Environment Secretary George Eustice shrugged off the Tory leader’s insistence wanted to serve a “third term” in power.

Mr Eustice warned: “Yes, he’d like to go on and on. But to be honest, we also understand that we’ve got a lot of hurdles to clear before we get to that point.”

Mr Johnson is spending his sixth consecutive day outside the UK at the G7 Summit in Bavaria before flying to Madrid on Tuesday night for a crunch NATO meeting.

Amid mounting pressure on his embattled leadership, Mr Johnson insisted questions over his premiership were “settled a couple of weeks ago” when 41% of his MPs voted to oust him in a confidence ballot.

Asked at the G7 if he was worried about rebel Conservatives plotting at home, he claimed: “No, we settled that a couple of weeks ago.

“What I’m focused on, what we are doing, is getting on with number one – all the stuff we are doing to help people with the cost of living in the short term, using the fiscal firepower, we have, £1,200 for eight million of the most vulnerable households, £400 to help everybody, £300 for pensioners, cutting council tax – all the things that we’re doing in cash terms to help people through the current inflationary spike in the cost of particularly energy.

“But also getting on with the agenda for our plan for a stronger economy, reforming our supply side, energy, transport, housing, all the things that matter to people.”