‘Johnson job safe whatever result’ – Kwarteng

Boris Johnson will remain leader after the local elections no matter how dismal the results are for the Tories, a Cabinet member has insisted.

Kwasi Kwarteng said the PM’s leadership is not “at threat at all” as voters go to the polls with a new scandal of a porn-watching MP on top of partygate.

There were reports that former foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt could launch a leadership bid if Mr Johnson is forced from power after Thursday’s elections.

Conservative MP Neil Parish announced his resignation on Saturday as he admitted twice watching pornography in the Commons.

The embarrassment came as activists canvas for a Tory party led by a prime minister fined by police for breaching his own coronavirus laws.

Mr Kwarteng, Business Secretary, told Sky’s Sophy Ridge: “I don’t think his leadership is at threat at all.

“I think Brexit, he delivered on that, the fact he was very widely appreciated in Ukraine, he’s been widely hailed as someone who has led the overseas effort to help Ukraine and also look at the vaccine rollout, that was a great bit of success.”

Pressed whether Mr Johnson is safe he replied “absolutely”.

Allies of Mr Hunt are ready to brand himself a “safe pair of hands” if the time comes to run for the Tory leadership.

Mr Kwarteng said: “Jeremy is a very capable colleague, he’s a good friend, I don’t know what he’s up to but as far as I’m concerned Boris Johnson is the right man by far to lead us into the next election.”

Sir Keir Starmer will also be under pressure, as failure to make inroads will lead to questions over his ability to get Labour back into power.