The PM’s departure led to the unleashing of the ‘hellhounds’ (Image: Rex)
Boris Johnson’s resignation could leave the Tories “torn apart” in a bid to find a replacement.
The 58-year-old announced his plans to step down yesterday after an avalanche of resignations.
Rishi Sunak, Sajid Javid, Ben Wallace, Nadhim Zahawi, Penny Mordaunt, Liz Truss and Tom Tugendhat are all potential contenders for the new leader of the Conservative Party.
Culture Minister Nadine Dorries told her colleagues that she needed to “keep the cabinet afloat and the government running smoothly”, reports The Times.
Ms Dorris, one of Mr Johnson’s few remaining supporters, is reported to have said the “hounds of hell” had been unleashed.
“People will tear each other to pieces in the media. It will be a bloodbath,” she said.
Newly appointed Education Secretary James Cleverley said the candidates to succeed Boris Johnson would have to “explain their rationale” for whether or not to remain loyal to the prime minister.
Nadine Dorries has warned her colleagues that they must “keep the cabinet stable” (Image: EPA)
He told BBC Breakfast: “Anyone who comes forward we will have to explain the reason for doing whatever they did and my colleagues will consider that.
“I’m sure some people will want to support someone who has remained part of the Prime Minister’s team over the last few days, and there will be others who would want to support someone who has been critical of the Prime Minister.
“Each of us will make our own choices and I think each candidate will have to explain what decisions they made or didn’t make.”
He declined to name potential favorites or candidates he would support.
The move to find a new prime minister has reportedly been brewing behind the scenes of the Tory party for months.
Finding a deputy prime minister could be a ‘bloodbath’ (Image: AFP)
But since Mr Johnson’s official resignation, alleged blue-on-blue attacks have begun as potential replacements jockey for support.
One MP told the Daily Mail that the line-up of hopefuls could “look like wacky races” if Suella Braverman and Steve Baker are allowed to run.
The MP told MailOnline: ‘As for Sajid [Javid]his resignation speech told you all you needed to know: we all started to wish him well, but within minutes he completely lost the room.
More: Boris Johnson
They also called Liz Truss “bad, crazy and downright dangerous to know”.
It remains to be seen where the 1922 commission will set the threshold for the number of MP supporters from which a candidate must enter the ballot.
The backbench body will set out the rules of the contest next week, with a new leader expected to be chosen before the Tory conference in October.
Mr Johnson told the country yesterday: “I want you to know how sad I am to be giving up the best job in the world – but those are the breaks.”
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