I’M GOING NOWHERE

PM dismisses threat of Boris launching a bid for No 10

‘I’m in this for the long-term’

THERESA May has dramatically dismissed the threat of a leadership challenge from Boris Johnson, vowing she was ‘in this for the long-term’.

Amid mounting speculation that the former foreign secretary could launch a bid for No 10, the Prime Minister insisted she intended to lead her party into the next election.

Mr Johnson resigned as foreign secretary last month, saying he could not accept the Brexit deal that Mrs May pressed her Cabinet into signing up to at Chequers. Many now expect him to challenge the Prime Minister for the Tory leadership, potentially as soon as this autumn.

But Mrs May, who is on a trip to Africa, last night dismissed fears of a ‘Right-wing coup’ – insisting she was looking forward to the Tory Party conference this autumn, despite claims she might be booed.

And asked whether she was concerned about the threat of a leadership bid from Mr Johnson, the Prime Minister said: ‘I’ve been asked before whether it’s my intention to lead the Conservative Party into the next general election.

‘I’ve answered that question: I’m in this for the long-term. What I’m focusing on is delivering what the British people want. The British people voted for us to leave the European Union and I and the Government will be delivering that.

‘What I’m also focused on is delivering on the domestic agenda and issues that are of concern to people. I’m in this for delivering to the British people and that’s what I’m focused on.’

She added that she was not worried by what had happened last week to her university friend Malcolm Turnbull, who was ousted as Australian premier after a Rightwing coup.

Mrs May said: ‘I think if you look at Australian politics, they are rather different from the politics we see in the UK.’

Asked if she had noticed how much Mr Johnson wanted her job, she said merely: ‘I was very pleased that Boris was foreign secretary for the period that he was foreign secretary.’

At the weekend, Tory MP Andrew Bridgen said he would not be surprised if Mrs May was booed at the conference. But Mrs May said: ‘I will be going to the party conference with important messages about what we as a government are doing, not just in relation to Brexit but also what we’re doing on the domestic agenda.

‘What we’re doing to increase housebuilding so that young people have the opportunity to get their foot on the housing ladder when so many fear that they’re not going to be able to do that.

‘What we’re doing in technical education to improve the opportunities for young people. What we’re doing on the National Health Service and the significant pledge that we’ve given more money. We want to see a more sustainable ten-year plan for the NHS to deliver better outcomes for patients.’

Mrs May declined to answer whether she would now vote for Brexit. ‘That is a hypothetical question, and I don’t answer hypothetical questions because we’re not in the business of having – and it’s very important, this point – we’re not in the business of having a second referendum on Brexit.’

Pressed on concerns about former Ukip supporters joining the party or far-Right infiltration of Tory Party associations, Mrs May replied: ‘What we have been doing, we’ve been doing it since the beginning of this year, is working to increase the membership of the party and we’ve seen a steady increase of the membership.’