Boris Johnson is currently the most popular choice among Tory MPs to become prime minister as the race to replace Liz Truss roared into life today following her humiliating resignation after just 44 days in power.
With a quarter of MPs declaring support for their preferred candidates, Mr Johnson currently counts 38 backers, compared to Rishi Sunak‘s 27 and Penny Mourdant‘s 12, according to the latest tally by Guido Fawkes.
Borrowing one of Margaret Thatcher’s favourite put-downs, a Labour source described the prime minister as “frit” – meaning “frightened”.
The urgent question was tabled in a bid to force Ms Truss to answer MPs’ questions after she resisted Labour demands for a statement to the Commons today to explain the reversal of the bulk of her mini-Budget in a series of massive U-turns.
– Boris Johnson launches mass clear out of Cabinet and sacks Jeremy Hunt
– Jeremy Hunt and Penny Mordaunt among those sacked in brutal two-hour cull
– Greg Clark and Liam Fox also leave the government as new PM wields the axe
– Damian Hinds, James Brokenshire, David Mundell and Karen Bradley ousted
– Philip Hammond, David Gauke and Rory Stewart all resigned earlier today
– Priti Patel makes a remarkable Cabinet return as the new Home Secretary
– Sajid Javid has been promoted to crucial role of Chancellor under Mr Johnson
– Brexiteer Dominic Raab was installed as Foreign Secretary replacing Mr Hunt