BOJO BLOWS IN
New Prime Minister Boris Johnson vows to ‘love bomb’ Tory rebels after trouncing Jeremy Hunt
BORIS Johnson today vowed to "love bomb" Tory rebels after being named as Britain's next Prime Minister with a landslide victory over Jeremy Hunt.
The new Tory leader said he was "impatient" to get cracking with Brexit and the domestic agenda in the wake of his historic win.
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The new Tory leader will have just 100 days to deliver on his do-or-die promise to take Britain out of the EU on October 31 - after winning twice as many votes as his rival.
In a sharp break from buttoned-up Theresa May, BoJo used his victory speech to make a string of jokes as he pledged to unite the shattered Tory party.
He said: "We know the mantra of the campaign just gone by - deliver Brexit, unite the country and defeat Jeremy Corbyn and that's what we're going to do.
"Some wag has already pointed out 'deliver, unite and defeat' was not the best slogan because it spells out 'dud'. But they forgot the final E - for 'energise'!
"I say to my doubters - DUDE, we're going to get Brexit done on October 31."
And speaking to Tory MPs this afternoon, the new leader said he would "love bomb" those who didn't vote for him.
The pledge suggests he will offer top jobs to Jeremy Hunt-backing Remainers, such as Amber Rudd - rather than purging the senior ranks.
Boris said he wouldn't hold a General Election before 2022 and insisted: "I think our party seems in very good health."
On a historic day for Britain:
- Jeremy Hunt braced for a demotion when Boris picks his new Cabinet
- The new Chief Whip was confirmed as popular MP Mark Spencer
- BoJo prepared a domestic policy blitz for his first days in No10
- The new Tory leader hired a top business executive as his "corporate adviser"
- Now he faces a dilemma over the role of girlfriend Carrie Symonds
- Donald Trump led world leaders in welcoming Boris to his new role
- EU chiefs geared up for a brutal Brexit showdown with the new PM
Boris rode a wave of optimism with his charismatic personality to sweep aside a huge field of challengers and win the support of grassroots Conservative activists.
Mr Johnson won over 66.4 per cent of members' votes, with Mr Hunt trailing far behind on just 33.6 per cent.
But in a sign of the challenge facing the next PM, David Gauke and Rory Stewart both announced they were leaving the Cabinet and will lead the revolt to block No Deal.
And he will also have to face off the threat from Nigel Farage and his Brexit Party who will leap on any hint of wavering in talks with Brussels - Mr Farage asked today: "Does he have the courage to deliver for the country?"
In his first speech as Tory party leader, Mr Johnson paid tribute to Theresa May's "extraordinary service to this party and this country".
He also praised his opponent Mr Hunt, telling him: "You've been a font of excellent ideas, all of which I'm going to steal forthwith."
HITTING BACK
The free-wheeling address was an early sign of the optimistic approach Boris plans to take in his new job.
He told activists: "I know that there will be people around the place who will question the wisdom of your decision. There may even be some people here who still wonder what they have done!"
But mocking critics who say he faces a "daunting set of circumstances", Mr Johnson blasted: "I look at you this morning and I ask myself, 'Do you look daunted? Do you feel daunted?' I don't think you look remotely daunted to me.
"I think we know that we can do it and that the people of this country are trusting in us to do it and we know that we will do it."
And he added: "Today at this political moment in our history we again have to reconcile two sets of instincts, two noble sets of instincts, between the deep desire of friendship and free trade and mutual support in security and defence between Britain and our European partners and the simultaneous desire, equally deep and heartfelt, for democratic self-government in this country.
"Of course some people would say that they are irreconcilable and it just can't be done."
FAMILY AFFAIR
He was joined at the announcement by relatives including dad Stanley, brother Jo and sister Rachel - but his girlfriend Carrie Symonds stayed away.
A source close to the new leader insisted Carrie would move with him to No10 but not immediately.
Remainer Stanley backed his son to deliver Brexit, saying: "We will get rid of this small technical problem of Brexit - we'll get Brexit done in a flash."
And asked what advice he would give his son, Mr Johnson Senior told The Sun: "Imagine this is a game of rugger and you're in the front row and you have to get the ball over the line."
Theresa May tweeted immediately, wishing him "many congratulations" - and saying she will stay as an MP.
She said: "Many congratulations to @BorisJohnson on being elected leader of @Conservatives - we now need to work together to deliver a Brexit that works for the whole UK and to keep Jeremy Corbyn out of government. You will have my full support from the back benches."
Admitting defeat, Mr Hunt tweeted: "Congratulations @BorisJohnson for a campaign wellfought.You) fought. You'll be a great PM for our country at this critical moment!
"Throughout campaign you showed optimism, energy and unbounded confidence in our wonderful country and we need that."
He added: "This was always going to be uphill for us because I was someone who voted Remain, we have a Prime Minister who voted Remain and I think a lot of Conservative party members felt that this was a moment when you just had to have someone who voted for Brexit in the referendum.
"I am delighted for the country that Boris has become Prime Minister, I think he'll be a great Prime Minister."
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Tories immediately rallied around Boris, urging him to pull the country together.
Fellow leadership contender Esther McVey said: "Congratulations Boris. A decisive victory that will enable our new PM to unite the country, deliver Brexit & shape a path to prosperity which every citizen can be a part of."
But Jeremy Corbyn blasted: "The people of our country should decide who becomes Prime Minister. We need a Labour government for the many, not a Boris Johnson Conservative government for the few."
Nigel Dodds, the deputy leader of the DUP, sent his warm wishes. The relationship Boris has with the DUP could make or break his premiership, as the Tories still rely on them for a majority.
He said: "Looking forward to continuing our discussions on achieving our shared objectives to advance the Union, deliver Brexit and restore devolved government in NI."
The new Tory leader has already spoken to DUP leader Arlene Foster, who congratulated him on his victory.
Hardline Brexiteers warned Boris not to backslide on his pledge to take Britain out of the EU on time - Steve Baker said: "Let's not think this is about what we want, it's about what we promised."
Justice Secretary Mr Gauke and International Development Secretary Mr Stewart both confirmed they will leave the Cabinet and return to the back benches tomorrow as part of a clearout of Remainers.
This morning Education Minister Anne Milton handed in her resignation to Theresa May, a day after Alan Duncan became the first anti-Boris minister to quit.
The new leader addressed a meeting of all Tory MPs this afternoon, urging unity after the divisive internal election campaign.
But not all of them were won over - Keith Simpson left early and blasted: "It was classical Boris - the circus has come to town. I couldn’t stand any more of it."
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Tom Newton Dunn explains what's next for Boris Johnson after winning the Conservative leadership contest
Theresa May held her last Cabinet meeting this morning and was given a handbag as a farewell present following a whip-round of ministers led by Michael Gove.
She will take her final Prime Minister's Questions tomorrow - then make a short speech outside No10 before going to Buckingham Palace and handing her resignation to the Queen.
Boris will follow her to the Palace shortly afterwards and is likely to address the nation in Downing Street as he starts his work.
Mr Johnson is also planning to make a statement to the Commons on Thursday morning, in a bid to rally Parliament behind his leadership.
He will then launch a raft of domestic-focussed policies to tackle issues such as school funding and social care in a bid to prove he can be more than just a Brexit Prime Minister.
It's rumoured he could borrow up to £30billion to fund his pledges in a reversal of the austerity which has reigned in the Government for nearly a decade.
The first appointment he has made is to ask Mark Spencer, currently a junior Government whip, to become Chief Whip responsible for party discipline.
The hire was welcomed by MPs across the Brexit spectrum - Mr Spencer voted Remain but is now committed to taking Britain out of the EU.
Another early hire is Andrew Griffith, an executive at TV firm Sky who lent Boris his £9million house to use as campaign HQ.
He will be the new PM's corporate adviser, responsible for building links between the Government and big businesses.
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BoJo has long harboured the ambition of becoming PM as he's risen up the political world.
He had a tricky relationship with both David Cameron - his old friend from Eton and Oxford - and Theresa May, with both leaders convinced Mr Johnson was desperate to replace them in No10.
His first run for the leadership, after the 2016 EU referendum, was scuppered when ally Michael Gove abandoned him and launched his own bid for the top job.
In a sign of how hard the job facing Boris is, bookies Ladbrokes gave odds of 5/1 on his being the shortest-serving Prime Minister in history - the current record is 119 days.
MOST READ IN POLITICS
And a YouGov poll found 50 per cent of voters think he will be a bad PM.
Mr Johnson will face a tricky etiquette question as soon as he gets to No10 - what to do with his girlfriend Carrie.
He will be the first unmarried Prime Minister for 45 years, and no previous leader has installed a partner to whom they were not married in Downing Street.
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Alan Duncan blasts Boris will spark a crisis of of government and Hunt is more 'competent'
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