The former foreign secretary is expected to be crowned the victor when the result is announced at 11:45am today following six weeks of intense hustings and head-to-head debates. But his expected victory will likely lead to several Government resignations from ministers who oppose Mr Johnson’s no deal Brexit plans, with Chancellor Philip Hammond and Justice Minister David Gauke among those who have said they will quit if he is handed the keys to 10 Downing Street. Now BBC Political Editor Laura Kuenssberg has suggested some of the 160,000 Tory members that have voted who weren’t sure who to back have now sided with Mr Hunt, and a shock victory can’t be ruled out.

READ MORE: When will the next Prime Minister be announced? What is the timetable?

Remember too there was a lot of anecdotal evidence during the campaign of undecideds moving to Jeremy Hunt – never these days rule out a huge upset!

Laura Kuenssberg

She tweeted: “Remember too there was a lot of anecdotal evidence during the campaign of undecideds moving to Jeremy Hunt – never these days rule out a huge upset!”

Mr Johnson is expected to take over from Theresa May as Prime Minister in a landslide victory that will give him a mandate to strike a new Brexit deal with the EU before October 31.

The winner of the leadership contest will then enter 10 Downing Street tomorrow after Mrs May has taken part in her final Prime Minister’s Questions at the House of Commons.

Mr Johnson has dominated the voting of Conservative members in Westminster over the past six weeks as rivals have been eliminated, with Mr Hunt expected to suffer the same fate.

Follow the live blog from Express.co.uk for the latest updates:

8.35am update: Jeremy Hunt still hopeful as result announcement nears

The underdog in the Tory leadership race still believes he can overcome the odds and defeat Boris Johnson.

Mr Hunt arrived back at his residence after a morning run at 7.10am.

When asked how he felt about today, he said: “All to play for.”

8.30am update: Boris says free trade deal can finally break Brexit deadlock

Boris Johnson has said Britain could agree a free trade deal to leave the European Union that would finally break the Brexit deadlock.

He suggested various forms of technology could be used to avoid having to stick with the problematic Irish backstop, which has been central to MPs opposing the Brexit deal put before them and resoundingly voting it down in the House of Commons on three separate occasions.

Both Mr Johnson and leadership rival Jeremy Hunt have said the backstop needs to be removed from the much-criticised agreement Mrs May struck with the EU.

He wrote in his column for the Daily Telegraph: “There is abundant scope to find the solutions necessary – and they can and will be found, in the context of the Free Trade Agreement that we will negotiate with the EU, after we have left on October 31.

“We can come out of the EU on October 31, and yes, we certainly have the technology to do so. What we need now is the will and the drive.”

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