Boris Johnson was today backed to be Prime Minister by a senior Tory MP who said he would “restore trust and excitement in our politics again”.
Damian Collins, who chairs the cross-party culture select committee, told the Standard: “My conversations with him have made it clear that the Boris who, as Mayor of London, invested in infrastructure, policing and communities can deliver the sort of one-nation conservatism that this country needs now.”
The centrist MP’s support is a coup for Mr Johnson, particularly ahead of today’s Peterborough by-election, which could influence the leadership contest.
A senior Tory told the Standard: “I think we could come fourth — behind the Brexit Party, Labour and the Lib Dems.”
As MP for Folkestone, Mr Collins would be on the front line of the Tory battle against Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party if it wins the by-election and uses it as a springboard for a general election bid.
Mr Collins said: “The failure to deliver Brexit is undermining confidence in our political system and damaging the economy, allowing extreme groups to take advantage.
“We need a clear plan to deliver Brexit, and a prime minister with a plan to spread wealth and opportunity across the country. Boris is best placed to do that.
“He understands how local and regional government can be a catalyst for economic development. He knows infrastructure investment and lower taxes for businesses create jobs.
“We need to accelerate investment in parts of our country that have felt left behind. Boris has also highlighted the need to build more affordable properties to stimulate home ownership.”
