Boris Johnson is in the race to succeed Theresa May and has been backed by a former aide of Mrs May (Image: GETTY)
Mr Johnson launched his campaign yesterday, with the former Foreign Secretary vowing to negotiate a better Brexit deal. The former Mayor of London said he will use the threat of no deal to renegotiate. Writing in The Daily Telegraph Mr Timothy said: “Despite his flaws and indiscretions, and despite the qualities of the other candidates, Boris alone has the belief in Brexit, the determination to deliver it, and the ability to defeat Labour in an election.”
This intervention comes on the back of the worst ever Tory performance at a national election, with the Tories coming 5th in the European elections behind the Brexit Party, Greens, Labour and Liberal Democrats with just 8.8 percent of the vote.
Mr Timothy agreed with Mr Johnson’s remarks that the party would face “extinction” if Brexit is delayed beyond October 31st.
He explained: “The Tories simply have to get Brexit done. If they do not, they face destruction as an electoral force.
But even if Brexit happens, they face electoral upheaval, because some Remain-supporting Conservatives will inevitably take their votes elsewhere.”
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Mr Timothy was Mrs May's Downing Street advisor until 2017 (Image: GETTY)
The former Number 10 aide added the next party leader would have to keep the current supporters within the party and win voters from Labour.
A recent poll suggested Mr Johnson would secure a 140-seat majority in the Commons and retain 68 percent of the Tory vote from 2017.
Mr Johnson is the bookies favourite, but he also started that way in 2016 and pulled out after Michael Gove launched a leadership bid.
Mr Timothy argued
