Shropshire Star

Shropshire MPs tight-lipped as Boris Johnson tops Tory leader poll

Boris Johnson is the overwhelming choice to take over from David Cameron when he steps down as leader of the Conservatives, an online poll has revealed.

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Hundreds logged onto the Shropshire Star website to cast their vote for the person they think should lead the Tories next, with the London mayor topping the list.

Boris Johnson underlined his popularity with the public by polling 46 per cent of the public vote.

That was nearly 20 per cent higher than the next closest candidate, current Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne, who got 27 per cent of the vote.

Home Secretary Theresa May, hotly tipped in some quarters, was the choice of one in five who took part while probably the least known candidate, Sajid Javid, polled seven per cent of the vote.

Despite the eagerness of readers to nail their colours to the mast, Shropshire's Tory MPs were less willing to speculate who their next leader might be.

Ludlow MP Philip Dunne said: "I am not going to get into discussions about who our next leader might be.

"The Prime Minister will be in post for the remainder of this parliament and we have got years to think about who succeeds him."

North Shropshire MP Owen Paterson added that he too thought it was "nonsense" to be talking about it at the moment.

He said: "I think it is all a big distraction.

"Our Prime Minister has made it very clear he will continue and I think everyone should just get back to the day job.

"It is a load of nonsense talking about it now, it is just a distraction and everyone should concentrate on the job in hand."

The bookies favourite is currently Osborne, with Paddy Power offering odds of 6/5, Johnson is 7/2, May 7/1 and Javid 8/1.

North Shropshire MP Owen Paterson is 50/1 in the betting.

In his speech to the Tory conference in Manchester this week David Cameron lavished praise on George Osborne and Boris Johnson.

But he made only a cursory mention of Theresa May, instead choosing to hail the leadership qualities of her rivals to succeed him.

Mr Cameron briefly referred to Mrs May when listing a number of ministers who have kept the UK "safe at home and abroad: Justine Greening, Michael Fallon, Philip Hammond and Theresa May".

This was despite Mrs May's hardline speech on immigration dominating the headlines at the party's conference for two days running.

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