Boris Johnson has been announced as Conservatives' new leader after winning backing from party member

IMAGE REUTERS

Boris Johnson insisted he can 'deliver Brexit and unite the country' today after the Tories installed him as their new leader.

The front runner will become PM tomorrow after being declared the winner of the bruising battle against Jeremy Hunt in a dramatic ceremony at the Queen Elizabeth II centre in Westminster.

Family members including father Stanley, sister Rachel and brother Jo were among those in the audience to hear the news that he had secured a landslide 66 per cent of the 140,000 votes from activists. However, there was no sign of girlfriend Carrie Symonds.

The announcement was immediately hailed by US president Donald Trump, who said Mr Johnson would do a 'great job'. But EU negotiator Michel Barnier indicated that while he wanted to 'work constructively' with the new PM the Withdrawal Agreement was not up for grabs.

In his victory speech, Mr Johnson - whose ambition as a boy was to be 'World King' - paid tribute to Mr Hunt, and thanked Theresa May for her 'extraordinary' service to the country.

He said the party now had to reconcile the need for a close relationship with Europe to the desire for 'democratic self-government'.

Mr Johnson said he would 'deliver Brexit, unite the country and defeat Jeremy Corbyn'. He joked that the acronym for his 'deliver, unite and defeat' goals was 'DUD'. But he insisted he was going to add an 'E' to make 'DUDE'.

'Dude, we are going to energise the country,' he said to laughter. 'Like some slumbering giant we are going to arise and ping off the guy ropes of self-doubt.'

However, Mr Johnson is also facing a potentially catastrophic Tory mutiny as MPs mobilise against his 'do or die' vow to secure Brexit by Halloween - even if it means crashing out without an agreement. 

Education minister Anne Milton quit this morning minutes before Mr Johnson's coronation, saying she had 'grave concerns' and could not fall into line with his Brexit policy. 

Justice Secretary David Gauke - another of around half-a-dozen ministers who have said they will resign rather than serve under Mr Johnson - issued a stark warning this morning that Parliament will find a way to block No Deal.

After Sir Alan Duncan quit as Foreign Office minister yesterday in an abortive effort to force a confidence vote to block Mr Johnson becoming PM, the leadership front runner embarked on a charm offensive.

He held talks with Chancellor Philip Hammond and Mr Gauke last night, but while discussions were 'friendly' they did not back down on their opposition to No Deal.

He could push a new insurance system for social care, boost schools funding and increase the higher tax threshold to £80,000.

During the campaign Mr Johnson made spending pledges that have been calculated at more than £26billion - the estimated headroom Mr Hammond left in the public finances to account for Brexit disruption. 

He wants to raise the national Insurance threshold to £12,500 to help low earners, which would cost around £11billion, increase the minimum wage, and cut stamp duty.

But supporters of Mr Johnson told the Telegraph he would press ahead with key policies by borrowing if necessary.

'We are talking about a fiscal loosening of less than 1 per cent of total public spending. It would do a lot to get things moving for the middle classes, to get them spending more money,' one aide said.

A former minister in Mr Johnson's camp added: 'In order to honour Boris's spending pledges, the next budget is going to have to put a temporary freeze on deficit reduction.

'Of course it is important to continue fixing the roof but there is going to have to be some flexibility there to give the economy the post-Brexit boost that it needs.'

On the eve of what is likely to be a dramatic few days, former prime ministers Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and John Major warned Mr Johnson that pursuing a No Deal Brexit would end in disaster.

Newly elected Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson also predicted she could become prime minister if Mr Johnson is forced to call a snap election this year.

If Mr Johnson is elected as Tory leader today he will formally become prime minister tomorrow.

Mrs May will take a final session of PMQs in the Commons before travelling to Buckingham palace to inform the Queen of her resignation.

Whitehall sources said that, despite the government's slender majority, Her Majesty is then expected to send for Mr Johnson.

The former foreign secretary will then begin an immediate Cabinet reshuffle.

Casualties are expected to include Mrs May's deputy David Lidington, the business secretary Greg Clark and the Northern Ireland secretary Karen Bradley.

Mr Johnson is then preparing to make a Commons statement setting out his programme for government on Thursday, just hours before MPs break up for the long summer recess.

Former Brexit secretary Dominic Raab, who is expected to join the Cabinet, last night played down the prospect of a serious mutiny against the new leader by Tory MPs.


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