Tory MPs predict Boris Johnson will be the next party leader – after Theresa May backs him following savage claims he’s a joke abroad
And Labour MPs think Sir Keir Starmer, the Shadow Brexit Secretary, will take over from Jeremy Corbyn
TORY MPs predict Boris Johnson will be the next party leader - after Theresa May backed him this week following savage claims that he's a "joke" abroad.
And Labour MPs think Sir Keir Starmer, the Shadow Brexit Secretary, will take over from Jeremy Corbyn.
The findings come in a new poll from Populus - the day after Mrs May said that she DID want to fight the next election as Tory leader.
Previously she said she would only stay as long as MPs wanted her, but last night she said: "I'm not a quitter".
Today she said the public wanted her to get on with the job, but a Sky survey revealed that 45 per cent of Brits DON'T think she should fight another election.
The new poll of MPs said that Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson is the most likely next Tory leader - with around 32 per cent of the vote.
He's followed by the Brexit Secretary David Davis.
On the Labour team, Sir Keir Starmer was mentioned by 15 per cent of politicians, followed by Yvette Cooper and Angela Rayner.
This week Mrs May was forced to defend Boris after he was dubbed a "joke" by diplomats overseas.
The PM gave her public support to her cabinet minister after claims he was not taken seriously and "can never resist a gag";.
An unnamed minister told The Times: "It's worse in Europe. There is not a single foreign minister there who takes him seriously. They think he's a clown who can never resist a gag."
“The French think Boris is totally unreliable, the Germans think he’s a liar and the Italians think he’s dangerous.
“He is undermining our ability to negotiate internationally and degrading our position abroad.
“The Foreign Secretary is supposed to enhance Britain’s reputation but all over the world Boris is making matters worse."
But asked if she had confidence in him, Mrs May told Sky News: "Yes, absolutely.
"Boris has been doing an excellent job and a lot of people focus on Brexit but remember there are a lot of issues that the Foreign Secretary is dealing with around the world, including, for example his recent trip to Libya which was a very important trip."