Boris Johnson may be the only Conservative Party leadership candidate to be put to the party's membership in the ongoing leadership election under a secret plan hatched by senior ministers to avoid damaging internal fighting.
The senior ministers, who are not linked to the six remaining contenders for the Tory crown, are pondering only putting Mr Johnson's name forward to the party's 160,000 members in a 'confirmatory' vote.
The plan was reported to have been thought of in the whip's office because of concerns that a six-week battle of candidates criticising each other will leave whoever wins weakened, providing political ammunition for Jeremy Corbyn.
Boris Johnson may be the only Conservative Party leadership candidate to be put to the party's membership in the ongoing leadership election under a secret plan hatched by senior ministers to avoid damaging internal fighting
Under the proposal, remaining candidates would bow out of the contest to allow Mr members to be asked if they wanted Johnson to be leader.
The move, which was reported by the Daily Telegraph, would be highly controversial within the party following criticism of the 2016 'coronation' of Theresa May.
She became Tory leader and prime minister without giving the members a chance to vote, after Andrea Leadsom withdrew from the 2016 contest.
Mr Johnson is the overwhelming favourite to become Tory leader and prime minister - he received the backing of 114 MPs in the first round of voting on Thursday.
Trailing far behind was Jeremy Hunt on 43, Michael Gove on 37, Dominic Raab on 27, Sajid Javid on 23 and Rory Stewart scraping through on 19.
Following the news of the ministers' plan, International Development Secretary Rory Stewart - who is one of the remaining candidates - criticised it on Twitter.
He said: 'Please write to your MP if you think this is not a good idea and please RT if you think anyone else might think this is not a good idea....'
Following the news of the ministers' plan, International Development Secretary Rory Stewart - who is one of the remaining candidates - criticised it on Twitter
Mr Stewart said: 'Please write to your MP if you think this is not a good idea and please RT if you think anyone else might think this is not a good idea....'
And Mr Johnson, who has previously been fiercely criticised by Mr Stewart, faced a further barrage from fellow Brexiteers Dominic Raab.
Mr Raab said in an interview with The Telegraph that he, being a grammar school boy and the son of a refugee, would be in a better position to win a general
