Johnson gets new boost in race to become UK PM

LONDON (Reuters): Boris Johnson got a fresh boost in the race to become Britain’s Prime Minister yesterday when another former rival in the race backed him to lead the country out of its Brexit crisis. 

Hours before the six contenders were due to be whittled down by the party’s lawmakers, Andrea Leadsom declared her support for Johnson, the clear favourite.

“He is the best placed to get us out of the EU at the end of October,” Leadsom, a former leader of the House of Commons who was eliminated from the contest last week, told LBC radio. “Secondly, I do believe he is an election winner.”

On Monday, Health Minister Matt Hancock, who quit the race on Friday, also backed Johnson, despite their contrasting views on Brexit.

Johnson, a former London mayor and foreign minister, says he will take Britain out of the EU by 31 October whether or not there is a deal with Brussels to smooth the transition, potentially setting up a fight with Parliament.

Sterling fell to its lowest level against the dollar in nearly six months as investors worried about the prospect of a big Brexit shock to the world’s fifth-biggest economy.