During a live TV interview, Tory backbencher Jacob Rees-Mogg hinted he had been offered the top job as he defended Boris Johnson’s latest pledge to boost broadband infrastructure if he became prime minister. The subtle hint came following Justice Secretary David Gauke’s tweet in which he hit out at Mr Johnson and claimed “every Telegraph column by Boris Johnson increases borrowing by billions”.

He has my full and unequivocal backing. I think he will be a great leader for this country

Jacob Rees-Mogg

He added: “If Boris wins, good luck to whoever becomes his Chancellor. It would be a noble act of self-sacrifice to accept the job. Who’d do it?”

In response to the tweets, Mr Rees-Mogg insisted high-speed internet coverage “crucial” to Britain’s economic success.

He said: “I represent a rural constituency which has in part got high-speed access very recently. This is an absolutely transformative thing business people can do.

“One of the things that have held us back is that to roll out high-speed broadband, we have needed a derogation from EU rules for state aid, which is absurd.

“Because when you mend a pothole and if you ever did mend potholes in country lanes, that doesn’t count as state aid.

“But when you roll out broadband, which is just as essential, that is state aid. So we will be free to do it. But inevitably a new prime minister will want to spend money differently.

“And there will be different infrastructure projects that another prime minister will impose.”

Mr Bolton then asked whether the prominent Brexiteer would “fancy the job of being Boris Johnson’s Chancellor”, to which he chuckled and insisted he was simply a “humble backbencher”.

Mr Rees-Mogg added: “I like being the Member of Parliament for North East Somerset. The key about Boris is if he becomes prime minister, I have a very good chance of retaining my seat.

“If we don’t get Boris then I think the future of the Tory party looks very bleak.”

When asked whether he would join a Boris Johnson government, Mr Rees-Mogg insisted he will “support Boris in any way he wants me to support him”.

The MP for North East Somerset added: “He has my full and unequivocal backing. I think he will be a great leader for this country.”

Mr Rees-Mogg claimed Mr Johnson has “very wisely” not made any promises in regard to offering him the top job as chancellor.

One Twitter user replied to Mr Gauke’s tweets and said: “Jacob Rees-Mogg probably had Chancellor of the Exchequer wrapped up months ago, sir.”

Another said: “Not only BJ has been pre-selected but we will also likely get Rees-Mogg as Chancellor.”

Boris Johnson is leading the Tory leadership race, having secured the backing of 114 MPs in the first round of voting last week.

Of the six candidates remaining in the race, leadership hopeful Rory Stewart got the least votes in the first ballot of Tory MPs, taking home 19 votes.

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