Boris Johnson's path to Downing Street is looking unstoppable after he won the backing of three failed rivals.

Andrea Leadsom joined Matt Hancock and Esther McVey in throwing her weight behind the runaway train Tory leadership candidate.

The hard Brexiteer Cabinet minister told LBC he is the "best placed" to make Brexit happen on October 31 and "is an election winner".

She added he shares her "scepticism" for the High Speed 2 rail project "on the grounds of value for money."

It means Mr Johnson is destined to win more than 100 MPs' backing in a second knockout vote tonight.

And he should easily make it through to the final two candidates for Tory leader.

His popularity with MPs – who he's met quietly in his office – comes despite Mr Johnson chickening out of public scrutiny. 

The wannabe Prime Minister snubbed a C4 debate on Sunday and a hustings with political journalists yesterday.

He will however join his surviving rivals on TV in a one-hour BBC debate from 8pm tonight.

Leadership hopeful Rory Stewart , who bookies now rank second to frontrunner Mr Johnson, yesterday slammed his previous no-show.

He said: “He doesn’t as far as I can see have a plan. I say as far as I can see as he doesn’t talk to the public.”

Tory leadership election – first round results

• Boris Johnson – 114 MPs
• Jeremy Hunt – 43
• Michael Gove – 37
• Dominic Raab – 27
• Sajid Javid – 23
• Matt Hancock – 20
• Rory Stewart – 19

KNOCKED OUT (needed 17 to pass):

• Andrea Leadsom – 11
• Mark Harper – 10
• Esther McVey – 9

And Michael Gove said: “Someone put it to me these hustings without Boris was like Hamlet without the Prince. Of course, at the end of Hamlet he isn’t the king.”

Mr Johnson's private approach has raised fears he is making contradictory promises – telling MPs whatever they want to hear.

Rory Stewart claimed Mr Johnson had persuaded half his backers he'll crash out of the EU with no deal – and persuaded the other half he'll prevent it.

Mr Johnson is also accused of breaking his pledge to lie down in front of the bulldozers if Heathrow Airport's third runway is ever built.

Despite the lack of consistency it appeared today Mr Johnson was ploughing ahead with plans for power.

Aides have repeatedly insisted he has not offered anyone a job.

That's a far cry from the 2016 leadership race, in which Ms Leadsom famously dropped her backing for Mr Johnson when he failed to offer a role.

Instead however reports have emerged of a huge purge when Mr Johnson reaches No10 at the end of July.

Nicknaming him 'Chairman Boris', the Telegraph today reports he is expected to sack a third of May's Cabinet to purge MPs, mostly Remainers, from his top team.

Amber Rudd, Philip Hammond and David Gauke are all said to be at risk. As is Brexiteer – but famously hapless – Transport Secretary Chris Grayling.

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