Johnson builds huge lead in Tory leadership race

Johnson won 143 votes among Conservative MPs while his nearest rival Jeremy Hunt won 54. Rory Stewart had the fewest votes and was eliminated

Picture: Getty

Boris Johnson surged even further ahead of his rivals in the contest to become the U.K.’s next prime minister yesterday.

Johnson won 143 votes among Conservative MPs while his nearest rival Jeremy Hunt won 54. Rory Stewart had the fewest votes and was eliminated.

Boris Johnson won the votes of 143 MPs; Jeremy Hunt won 54 votes; Michael Gove 51; Sajid Javid 38; Rory Stewart 27.

Some Johnson backers were lending votes to ...