Boris Johnson on course to be Britain’s next PM

UK, (Daily Mail), 13 June 2019- Boris Johnson took a massive step towards Downing Street today as he stormed home in the opening round of the Tory leadership battle.   

The former foreign secretary topped the secret ballot with backing from 114 MPs - ahead of Jeremy Hunt in second with 43.   

The higher-than-expected score for Mr Johnson - which drew gasps in the Committee Room 14 when it was announced - means he is almost guaranteed to make the final run-off among Tory members.   

Bookmakers immediately slashed the odds on Mr Johnson being the next PM from 4/9 to 1/5.   

Environment Secretary Michael Gove was third on 37, after his campaign was badly damaged by his cocaine admission over the weekend. Former Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab received 26 votes, Sajid Javid 23 and Matt Hancock 20.   

Aid Secretary Rory Stewart just squeezed over the threshold of 17 votes needed from the total of 313 to continue to the next round, with 19.   

But three hopefuls have been axed from the next stage of the contest after failing to get over the hurdle.   

Andrea Leadsom, Mark Harper and Esther McVey were kicked out with 11, 10 and nine votes respectively. The outcome means that the competition is now all-male