Tory bosses urged to change leadership rules so Boris Johnson will have a better chance of being next PM

TORY bosses are under pressure to change leadership rules so Boris Johnson isn't shut out of the race to replace Theresa May.

Activists fear the popular figure will lose out because MPs have the power to veto his candidacy.

The party is now being urged to introduce a system similar to Labour's - which gives much more control to ordinary members.

The effort comes as 100 Tory MPs are reportedly ready to vote down Theresa May's Brexit plans - while ringleader Jacob Rees-Mogg reaches out to Jeremy Corbyn.

Under the current rules for Conservative leadership elections, all candidates must submit to a vote by their fellow MPs.

Only once the MPs have chosen their top two candidates do the grassroots members get to vote.

When Theresa May became leader, there was no membership vote at all because her rival Andrea Leadsom pulled out of the race.

Campaigner John Strafford has written to the Tory party board calling for a new system which would see contenders go through to the public vote if they have the support of just 20 MPs.

Boris Johnson is currently the bookies' favourite to be the next leader because he is so popular with pro-Brexit activists.

But he is much less popular with Tory MPs - raising the possibility they might block him in favour of rivals such as Michael Gove, Sajid Javid and Jeremy Hunt.

Mr Strafford : "I am not in favour of Boris as leader but it would be catastrophic if MPs tried to stop him from standing and he wanted to.

"If the MPs tried to stitch up the next leadership election it would be the nail in the coffin for the Conservative party."

His suggested new rules are very similar to those used by Labour - where candidates need the backing of only 10 per cent of MPs.

Labour's regime allowed Jeremy Corbyn to become leader despite having little support in Parliament, because he was loved by hard-left activists.

In another sign that the Tory grassroots are splitting from Number 10, it was today reported that 100 MPs will vote against Mrs May's Chequers proposals for a Brexit compromise.

A group led by Jacob Rees-Mogg is currently drawing up an alternative plan which would see Britain and the EU maintaining weaker ties.