Poll throws up surprising favourite to become next prime minister

It comes as Boris Johnson resists calls to step down immediately

Boris Johnson is getting busy appointing a new Cabinet as he looks to cling on to power until at least the autumn. Greg Clark is the new Communities Secretary and James Cleverly has been made Education Secretary while Robert Buckland is expected to be appointed Welsh Secretary. Mr Johnson will deliver an address to the nation this afternoon as he confirms he is standing down as leader of the Conservative Party. A new poll of Conservative party members - who will ultimately decide who runs the country next - has thrown up a surprise favourite to become the next PM. The bookies have had Rishi Sunak as a joint-favourite to succeed Johnson as leader of the Conservatives alongside Penny Mordaunt. But YouGov has put them as outside contenders after surveying members of the party. Instead, MP Ben Wallace has been tipped as the favourite to take over. The pollster asked members who they would vote for in head-to-head contest, asking about various different scenarios. In all scenarios containing Mr Wallace he wins by a significant margin. The former soldier and MP for Wyre and Preston North, who has played a prominent role in the UK’s response to the war in Ukraine, also comes top of members’ preferences overall, though by a lesser margin. This has all the hallmarks of what could be a tasty contest. Related Links

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