Former Prime Minister John Major announced that he could not vote for Boris Johnson as he believed he had misled the country during the Brexit Leave campaign. He added that he would be lending his vote to his rival Jeremy Hunt during the Tory leadership contest. Mr Major argued that both candidates needed to be scrutinised by the media and urged voters to not rush the process.

He told the BBC: “It is fairly evident from my views that I cannot vote for someone that was part of the Brexit campaign that misled the country.

“So I shall offer my vote to Jeremy Hunt.

“I don’t think anyone would be in any doubt about that.

“I hope everybody, before casting their vote, will wait a little while.

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“We need to see the two candidates properly examined by the media.

“We need to see both candidates appearing before the media.

“They need to be answering the difficult questions, explaining what they will do and explaining how they will do it.”

Boris Johnson has come under criticism during the Tory leadership contest due to his refusal to appear and debate against the other candidates.

At each stage of the contest, Johnson’s rivals would emphasise the importance of him appearing for debates as he has long held the position as the front runner to become the next Tory leader.

As the leadership contest has been whittled down to Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt, Mr Johnson has since explained his Brexit plan and double down on his pledge to leave the European Union without a deal if necessary.

Mr Johnson, who has said the UK must leave the EU by the end of October this year “do or die”, predicted a return of “optimism” and the disappearance of “gloom” over the next year with him at the helm.

Asked about what the country would be like in 12-months time, Mr Johnson said during a husting: “If I am elected, and I hope I am, I think our country will have pitch-forked off the incubus of Brexit. We will have got it done.

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“We will be set fair on a programme of boosting education around the country. Of making rapid strides in improving our transport infrastructure, another year down rolling our full-fibre broadband and we will be bringing our country together.

“I hope very much that we will be powerfully and convincingly articulating a Conservative mission to our country and Conservative values.

“If we recover our voice and our confidence we can make the moral base for Conservatism and the Conservative Party.

“If you support local creation. If you support business,  that is the way to pay for fantastic infrastructure, great public services, amazing NHS and everything else that makes our country wonderful. It is a balance.”

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