Mr Johnson is leading the Tory leadership race, having secured the backing of 114 MPs in the first round of voting last week. The outspoken Old Etonian, who is on course to win 150 votes in Tuesday's second elimination round, was today further buoyed by news Conservative Party heavyweight Matt Hancock is now backing his bid to become Prime Minister. Health Secretary Mr Hancock - who was eliminated from the contest last week - said Mr Johnson was the “unity” candidate to bring the divided nation together, the Sun reports.
News of Mr Hancock’s endorsement has dealt a crushing blow to Mr Johnson’s fiercest rivals in the race, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt and Environment Secretary Michael Gove.
The Health Secretary’s backing of Mr Johnson comes just a week after he said Mr Johnson was wrong to say “f*** business” during Brexit talks.
Lashing out, one furious Tory said last night: “Matt is throwing his morals out the window.
“To coin a phrase, he’s saying ‘I need a f***ing job’.”
Mr Johnson also secured the backing this weekend of former Work and Pensions Secretary Esther McVey.
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Tory leadership news: Boris Johnson has secured the backing of Matt Hancock (Image: GETTY)
Tory leadership candidates: all the present runners and riders to succeed Mrs May (Image: EXPRESS)
Boris Johnson is the favourite to become the next Prime Minister (Image: GETTY)
The Liverpudlian Brexiteer told the Sunday Telegraph she was backing him because he had promised to
