Amber Rudd declared she does “not require Boris to drive her anywhere”, after hinting at a future Tory leadership bid. The Work and Pensions Secretary also said she “really wants an interview one day where it is not all about Boris”. Earlier on Tuesday, Ms Rudd told BBC 5 Live that she is “keeping the door ajar” to take over as Prime Minister once a Brexit deal is agreed. Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s World at One, she explained: “We do not know what the circumstances are going to be when we are leaving.

“I really haven’t given it a lot of thought, what I am saying is that I am not ruling anything in or out at the moment.

“But I am completely focused on making sure that I deliver in my job as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and for supporting the Prime Minister as she tries to get a good Withdrawal Agreement agreed with Labour.”

Radio host Sarah Montague asked: “Do you keep the door ajar to perhaps running on a ticket with Boris Johnson, which perhaps has been suggested under the name ‘Bamber’?”

Ms Rudd began: “It’s of course very tempting to go through analysing all the members of Cabinet and outside – “

I do not require Boris to drive me anywhere

Amber Rudd

Ms Montague interrupted: “I wasn’t going to, I was really just going to ask about the one because you know it has been mentioned. Is the door ajar on that?”

Ms Rudd said: “I really want to have an interview one day where it is not all about Boris I have to say. But I’m not going to be drawn on any individual names, no.”

The BBC presenter then quizzed Ms Rudd on her previous comment that Boris Johnson is “great fun at a party but not the man you want driving you home”, asking whether she would allow Mr Johnson to “drive her home now”.

Ms Rudd simply replied: “Fortunately as a new Secretary of State, I do not require Boris to drive me anywhere. Thank you.”

Enraged Brexiteers in the Tory Parliamentary group and among grassroots supporters have increased calls for Theresa May to quit her post after agreeing to a new Brexit extension until October 31.

Several MPs have emerged as potential contenders in a party contest, with former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson securing the backing of several colleagues like eurosceptic leader Jacob Rees-Mogg.

But while denying she is planning her leadership campaign at the moment, Work and Pension Secretary Amber Rudd admitted to having “left the door ajar” to entering the race to Number 10.

Asked whether she was considering campaigning to take over from Mrs May, Ms Rudd told BBC Radio 5 Live: “I can tell you I don’t have a plan for it. I’m choosing my words carefully.

“Very genuinely, I’m working on supporting the Prime Minister and getting this deal through. This is what is important.

“We know the Prime Minister has said she will be going after this first stage is through, we don’t know when that will be. But we do know that after that there will be a leadership contest and I think we can wait until then.”

Mrs May has vowed to quit once this first stage of negotiations is complete, but one source backing a Cabinet rival told The Times their candidate would be “perfectly happy” for her to remain in office until December when, under the Tory leadership rules, she can next face a confidence vote.

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