TORY ministers are threatening to bring down the government to prevent Boris Johnson from becoming the next PM, it has been revealed.
A sensational Stop Boris campaign was launched last night within 24 hours of the tousle-haired former Foriegn Secretary announcing he would stand for the party leadership, reports the Mail.
Reuters
While Boris is said to enjoy broad support within the party membership, some Conservative MPs say they would force a general election rather than let him into Number 10 on a No Deal Brexit platform.
Polls suggest that the ex-London mayor is the runaway favourite to succeed Theresa May who will step down this summer following a coup from backbench Brexiteers within the party.
One government minister said at least 12 of their colleagues were willing to vote against Mr Johnson if he tried to introduce a Queen’s speech.
They said: “Boris cannot form a government, certainly not on a No Deal platform and probably not on any other.”
PARTY SPLIT ON BORIS
The minister added: “Even with the DUP on board, that is the majority gone. Then we are straight into an election.”
Another unnamed MP conceded that Mr Johnson is “extremely popular” with party members but “the situation is the opposite among his colleagues at Westminster.”
Conservative MP Phillip Lee, who is a prominent Remainer, has been publicly vocal about his opposition to Boris saying he “is not fit for purpose as prime minister.”
He said: “If any leader tries to make No Deal official Conservative policy then the Government does not last – it is going to lose a confidence vote.”
POLLS BACK BOJO
But supporters of Johnson within Westminster have also spoken out insisting he is best placed to beat Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn in a general election.
Leading Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg said: “Boris would win back voters because he would deliver Brexit.”
Backbencher Nadine Dorries said the Eton-educated former journalist “would shore up the Tory vote.”
This comes as a Survation poll for the Daily Mail showed that Boris is more than 20 points clear of his nearest leadership contender Home Secretary Sajid Javid.
The poll also showed that charismatic Johnson had the highest ratings when it comes to making a good prime minister and winning votes.
And a YouGov poll for The Times found that 39 per cent of Tory members picked Boris as their first preference for leader – putting him streets ahead of nearest rival Dominic Raab on 13 per cent.
However, in a leadership election, the Uxbridge and South Ruislip MP must be selected by his fellow Westminster colleagues as one of the two Tory candidates who will go forward to be selected by the party’s 125,000 members.
Getty – Pool
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