Jeremy Hunt and Matt Hancock ‘plot to team up and stop Boris becoming PM’ as rivals fight to take over from May
JEREMY Hunt is plotting to beat Boris Johnson to No10 by teaming up with Matt Hancock, it was claimed today.
The Foreign Secretary and Health Secretary have been accused of trying to stitch up the Tory leadership contest after Theresa May goes.
The pair reportedly believe they can shut Boris out of the crucial final two spots – clearing the way for Mr Hunt to become PM.
Mrs May is under increasing pressure to quit over the summer – whether or not her Brexit deal makes it through the Commons.
When she does go, more than a dozen Tories could throw their hat in the ring to succeed her as party leader and Prime Minister.
The three frontrunners are seen as being Mr Johnson, Mr Hunt and Home Secretary Sajid Javid.
In the leadership contest, MPs will whittle the starting field down to two, with party members then choosing between them.
If Boris makes it to the last two, his supporters in Parliament are confident he will be activists’ preferred choice.
LEADERSHIP STITCH-UP
Mr Johnson’s backers believe Mr Hunt and Mr Hancock are working together to exclude him from the final shortlist.
The two men plan to work together to ensure they both make it to the last two, according to the Mail on Sunday.
Mr Hunt would then be heavy favourite to win – but he could appoint Mr Hancock as Chancellor to thank him for his help.
The Health Secretary has not previously been seen as one of the leadership frontrunners.
But he could take supporters from Amber Rudd, who’s unlikely to run after leading a pro-Remain Cabinet mutiny last month.
And George Osborne is said to be backing Mr Hancock after growing cool on his former ally Mr Javid.
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Mr Johnson is rumoured to be considering a Brexit “dream team” with ex-minister Priti Patel as his deputy.
Dominic Raab could challenge him as the Brexiteers’ standard-bearer.
And Esther McVey, who also quit the Cabinet over Brexit, today confirmed she might run for the leadership.
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