May accused of plotting to scupper Boris’s leadership bid
THERESA MAY has been accused of plotting to block Boris Johnson’s leadership ambitions by dragging out the contest to succeed her until the Tory Party conference in October.
Conservative chairman Brandon Lewis has told friends that if Mrs May survives the coming weeks then Downing Street hopes to delay the final stages of the contest until the gathering in Manchester in the hope it will deprive Mr Johnson of an immediate ‘Brexit bounce’ if Britain has left the EU.
Allies of Mrs May believe a long contest would offer the best chance for the leadership to skip a generation, allowing a ‘dark horse’ candidate such as Tom Tugendhat, James Cleverly or Mark Harper to surge through the ranks.
Under the plan, the leadership contenders would parade their wares to the party faithful before a final vote by the Tory membership. It would also, they believe, allow Mrs May to be given a ‘dignified’ send-off by the party.
No.10 is furious about the leading role played by Mr Johnson and fellow Brexiteer Dominic Raab in opposing Mrs May’s deal – until they performed a U-turn in Friday’s vote.
A friend of Mr Lewis said: ‘By the time we reach the autumn, everyone will be heartily sick of hearing Boris and Raab banging on about Brexit, and will be in the mood for a new face – or at least a more acceptable one such as [foreign secretary] Jeremy Hunt.’
A Eurosceptic source said: ‘If they try this there will be a riot. Whoever takes over will need a decent run-up to the Brexit trade negotiations, to have the right team in place and devise a clear and coherent strategy.’
The main leadership contenders – Mr Johnson, Mr Hunt, Mr Raab, Sajid Javid, Michael Gove and Liz Truss – will tomorrow step up their courting of Tory MPs.
It’s been claimed Mr Hunt is the frontrunner, with between 75 and 100 MP, followed by Mr Gove with 40-50 MPs. However, a poll in today’s MoS shows that Mr Johnson is almost three times as popular as his nearest rival.