Mr Johnson, a prominent Brexiteer, is making a beeline for the top job and has already secured the backing of several MPs including European Research Group leader Jacob Rees-Mogg. Triggered by Prime Minister Theresa May’s resignation, which comes into effect today, 13 MPs initially put themselves forward but two have already dropped out of the race. Mr Johnson claims to be the person who can deliver Brexit and said under his leadership the UK will leave the EU on October 31, deal or not.

The former Foreign Secretary earned the respect of Mrs Thatcher while working for The Daily Telegraph reporting on the European Commission from the newspapers’ Brussels office.

He was in the post from 1989 to 1994 and during this time stood out as one of the few Eurosceptics in the city.

He was highly critical of Commission President Jacques Delors and wrote headlines like ‘Threat to British pink sausages’ and ‘cheese row takes the biscuit’.

Due to this he was Mrs Thatcher’s favourite journalist, according to Andrew Gimson in his book 2006 book: ‘Boris: The Rise of Boris Johnson’.

He wrote that Mr Johnson’s articles made him “one of Eurospcepiticm’s most famous exponents”.

The claim that Mr Johnson was Mrs Thatcher’s favourite reporter is also backed up by Sonia Purnell, who was the 54-year-old’s Brussels deputy.

She wrote in her 2011 book ‘Just Boris: Boris Johnson: The Irresistible Rise of Political Celebrity’ that he helped Euroscepticism become “an attractive and emotionally resonant cause for the Right”, whereas previously it was associated with a left-wing movement.

She also claimed he was equally a big thorn in the side of Mrs Thatcher’s successor Mr Major, who was reportedly annoyed by Mr Johnson and spent much time attempting to refute his claims.

Mr Johnson’s articles are said to have exacerbated tensions in the Tory Party between Eurosceptic and Europhile factions that were tearing the party apart, particularly after the signing of the Maastricht Treaty in 1992. 

Lord William Rees-Mogg – Jacob Rees-Mogg’s father – even went to court in a bid to stop the treaty becoming law as he became a leading figure among the Maastricht rebels, alongside the likes of John Redwood and Bill Cash. 

It was also the moment Nigel Farage lost faith with the Conservative Party and Ukip was founded in the wake of the treaty.

Now that the UK’s relationship with Europe is perhaps the single-most discussed issue at the moment there are many who would find Mr Johnson’s long-standing euroscepticism reassuring in a leader hoping to deliver Brexit.

Both Mrs Thatcher and Mr Major were arguably brought down by the EU, as were David Cameran and now Mrs May.

None of these Conservative leaders were able to unite the party under one goal.

Mr Johnson will be competing with Environment Secretary Michael Gove, who notoriously turned on his friend in the last leadership contest.

Also gunning for the Prime Minister’s job are Home Secretary Sajid Javid, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd, Health Secretary Matt Hancock and former Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab.

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