Could Hunt be sacked if he fails to get a big enough share of vote?

JEREMY Hunt is set to be sacked as foreign secretary tomorrow unless he manages to run Boris Johnson close in the Tory leadership contest.

Allies of Mr Johnson said last night that he would have a ‘free hand’ to demote his rival provided he secures at least 60 per cent of the vote when the result of the contest is revealed today.

Mr Hunt has indicated he wants to stay on as foreign secretary if his leadership bid fails. He is also said to have indicated he would accept an alternative top job, such as chancellor or deputy prime minister.

But allies of Mr Johnson are urging him to demote Mr Hunt following a fractious campaign in which he called his rival a ‘coward’. Jacob Rees-Mogg, a leading supporter of Mr Johnson, yesterday said Mr Hunt had no right to expect a top job and should stop ‘grandstanding and saying, “If I’m not Foreign Secretary I won’t be anything”’.

The move came as Mr Johnson and his closest allies spent the day debating the make-up of his first Cabinet.

He is concerned that the reshuffle risks alienating dozens of his backers who have inflated expectations of their prospects. He has told friends: ‘It is going to be very difficult to satisfy everyone.’

Another ally said the precise composition of Mr Johnson’s Cabinet would depend on his margin of victory. ‘The first thing is to win, the second is the scale of the victory,’ the source said.

‘If he gets 60 per cent of the vote then he has a free hand. If the lead is 10 points then he is going to be more constrained.’

Sources said the former Brexit minister Chris Heaton-Harris is being considered for the key position of chief whip, although current whips Chris Pincher and Mark Spencer are also said to be in the running.

Liz Truss, Matt Hancock and Sajid Javid are locked in a three-way battle to become Mr Johnson’s Chancellor.

And Mr Johnson is said to be agonising over what, if anything, to offer former defence secretary Gavin Williamson.