Top Tory Eurosceptic Jacob Rees-Mogg comes out fighting for colleague Boris Johnson after his marriage split
BREXIT-backing Tories rallied to Boris Johnson’s side – as bookies SLASHED the odds on him becoming the next Prime Minister.
Arch Eurosceptic Jacob Rees-Mogg said the split was “obviously very sad news for him personally and for Marina”.
But he insisted the ex-Foreign Secretary would make a “fine” PM.
He told The Sun: “I don’t think it makes any difference to the fine regard and admiration people in the Conservative party hold for him.
“I supported him last time and I don’t regret my decision.”
The Sun’s explosive revelations came a day after Boris Johnson opened a 20 POINT lead over Sajid Javid in a poll of Tory members about their preferred choice for the next party leader.
Arch Eurosceptic and long-time Boris ally Nadine Dorries insisted Boris Johnson was the only politician with “rock star” status.
And she said Theresa May should step down and make way for the Brexit champion.
She said: “We cannot continue with a Prime Minster who is non-consensual, who doesn’t listen, who doesn’t take on board people’s concerns and acts in a presidential style.
“That is not how politics work, and I’m afraid it is the end of the road now.”
“We need somebody in Number Ten now that can take us forward in a much more positive way.
“If we don’t … we will be handing the keys of Number Ten to Jeremy Corbyn.
“Because the alternative is Jeremy Corbyn, we need somebody more than ever in number ten who has popular support from the people – and Boris has that, and can win for the Conservative Party.”
Pro-EU Tory MP and Digital Minister Margot James – a longtime critic of the ex-Foreign Secretary - said it was “infuriating” how Boris Johnson was “continuously” in the news.
She stormed: “The prime minister has a really difficult job to do, with the Brexit secretary, to get the best possible deal for this country out of the EU negotiations.
“I’m frankly fed up with talking about Boris Johnson.”
But Ladbrokes said one punter in Hampshire had placed a £2,500 bet on Boris becoming the next PM yesterday morning.
The bookie cut his odds from 4-1 to 7-2.
Ladbrokes’ expert Jessica Bridge said: “Big boy bets are being placed on Boris landing the job and we’ve been forced to cut the odds accordingly.”
And Brexit Tory MP Nigel Evans insisted Boris could be trusted with the keys to No.10. “It is 2018, we are not in the 1950s now, so things move on and people make judgements about people – they are able to distinguish between personal lives and their public lives.”
He added: “It is a personal tragedy for both of them and I wish them both well. But it is a personal thing.”
