Our Survey. Next Tory Leader. Johnson 66 per cent, Hunt 30 per cent.
Hunt has gained far more ground than Johnson since last week – but the latter has double the Foreign Secretary’s vote share and a lead of over 30 points.
Andrew Gimson’s PMQs sketch: Johnson dominates without being there
In a low blow, the Scottish Nationalists pretend to back Hunt.
Meanwhile, the Conservative poll rating is at under a quarter of the vote
The evidence suggests that what would most improve this terminal score is delivering Brexit – not a new leader.
Hurry hurry hurry Hunt hurry hurry hurry
He’s right to challenge Johnson vigorously before the ballot papers go out. We need as much debate as possible.
The GATT XXIV plan – and why Brexiteers should pay the EU the compliment of taking its negotiating stance seriously.
Leavers insist correctly that the EU is a political project first and foremost. Which helps to explain why this scheme is unlikely to fly.
In praise of Conservative Party members
“Spot on” policy questions to Johnson and Hunt in Birmingham yesterday showed Tory activists as they really are.
“Not even Johnson can stop Johnson”
The crucial audience that will test this claim is not, for the moment, voters as a whole – but the 150,000 or so Conservative Party members.
The identity of the new Prime Minister makes a difference to the polls. But Brexit is a far more dominant factor.
New polling from YouGov shows that leaving the EU is an electoral imperative for the Tories.
Johnson is set to face an early general election. His Cabinet must be ruthlessly shaped to fight it – on a No Deal platform.
Its members must be signed up to leaving on October 31. Here’s a rough draft of what the top team might look like.
Andrew Gimson’s leadership sketch: Hunt now threatens Johnson with grey on grey action
Hunt’s people insist he can surprise Johnson.
Gove gets his breakthrough moment. Now for the big choice. What sort of final do Conservative MPs really want?
A noisy one with the Environment Secretary, or a quieter one with the Foreign Secretary? Javid’s backers must think hard.
Andrew Gimson’s leadership sketch: Black arts, FSBs and as they come to the last it’s still neck and neck
Jokes continue to be told, but it would be wrong to suggest the contest has been fought in a spirit of unwearying amity.
The Stewart over the water
Much of politics is teamwork. Can he now create a coalition among Tory MPs, not to mention Party members, that builds on his appeal to many voters?
Next Tory Leader. Our final survey of this Parliamentary stage. Gove is now second to Johnson.
One more day, two more ballots at most – and then we’re through to the membership stage of the contest.
Gove’s breakthrough moment?
Stewart’s voters are the most hostile to Johnson. Will they switch disproportionately to the man they may think is best placed to give the front-runner a hard time?