David Davis is ‘too old’ to lead the Tories and cannot unite the party during Brexit talks – says friends of Boris Johnson
But new analysis suggest Foreign Secretary could lose his seat at next election following boundary changes
ALLIES of Boris Johnson say David Davis is “too old” to be leader of the Conservatives as the pair emerge as favourites to take over from Theresa May if she chooses to stand down.
In public both men have given the Prime Minister their full backing – but behind the scenes there is speculation they could launch leadership bids.
But Mr Johnson’s ambition has been dealt a blow after analysis of the upcoming boundary changes suggests he could lose his Parliamentary seat.
Under the review, his constituency of Uxbridge and South Ruislip will become Hillingdon and Uxbridge, and the continued Corbyn surge in London could see his 5,000 vote majority wiped out and turned to Labour – according to the Electoral Calculus website.
Overnight his friends are reported to have said his main rival, Brexit Secretary Mr Davis, was at 68 - the same age as Jeremy Corbyn - too old, and that he was “playing games to try to force Boris's hand”.
An ally of Mr Johnson told the : "People have short-term memories. They see David as a steady hand but forget he lost to David Cameron in 2005 and has previously resigned.
"He's also the man that pushed the Prime Minister into holding a snap election in the first place. Age is not a barrier but he is nearly 70. You have got to look at that as a factor."
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The speculation comes as Mrs May is under increasing pressure to stay in No10 after losing her Commons majority in the disastrous general election.
She faces a battle to get her legislative programme through as she prepares for tomorrow’s Queen’s Speech without a Tory-DUP deal agreed on.
The PM was reportedly being given 10 days to save her job by figures ion the party over the weekend, with up to a dozen backbenchers ready to demand a vote of no confidence in her.
But Mr Davis last week described leadership gossip centred on the Foreign Secretary as "unbelievably self-indulgent"
And Mr Johnson and Michael Gove both went on the air yesterday to defend her, with the Foreign Secretary calling into BBC Radio 4's Today programme from Brussels for an unscheduled interview.
Asked if he expects Mrs May to stay, Mr Johnson said: "My strong feeling is that the last thing the electorate wants is more elections or more political shenanigans of one kind or another.
“There's a huge task to get on with Brexit."
Mr Gove, who has recently returned to the Cabinet, said: "I think that there's support across the Conservative Party for Theresa, and also support for the position that she outlined before, during and after the election.”
