Exclusive: David Davis plans to become Prime Minister David Davis stands ready to mount a bid to become Prime Minister if Theresa May is forced out of office, […]

David Davis stands ready to mount a bid to become Prime Minister if Theresa May is forced out of office, i has learnt.

The Brexit Secretary has instructed his supporters to stick to a strategy of ultra-loyalty to the Prime Minister in public and private.

But friends said he viewed Mrs May’s position as so precarious that he believed there was a strong possibility that she could step down before Brexit is due to take place in March 2019.

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Ambition ‘undimmed’

They said he would be certain to put his name forward under those circumstances as his ambition to become Prime Minister remains undimmed.

“There is absolutely no doubt that David would go for it. He wants the job,” said one.

“He thinks he would do a better job than her, not least because he would command greater support in the Cabinet.”

Members’ preferred choice

Polls of Conservative members since the election suggest that he would be their preferred choice as next party leader – although support has grown over the summer for maverick backbencher Jacob Rees-Mogg.

Mr Davis was at the centre of a flurry of speculation in June – following Mrs May’s disastrous snap election gamble – that he was preparing an attempt to replace her as Tory leader by the autumn.

He assured MPs that there was no truth in the claims, and insists he remains a loyal admirer of Mrs May.

Instruction to avoid conflict

The Brexit Secretary has urged his supporters to avoid conflict with Downing Street and to say nothing to fuel reports of his leadership ambitions.

His approach is in contrast to the decision of Boris Johnson to set out his personal vision for Brexit in an unauthorised newspaper article last week.

‘Regards himself a big beast’

A former minister said there is now frequent “talk in the corridors” about Mr Davis’s ambitions among Tory MPs, despite the Brexit Secretary’s determination to avoid speculation on any succession and to show loyalty to Mrs May.

“He regards himself as a big beast, although I still regard his chances as slim. It all depends on the circumstances and whether we want to move to a new generation.”

A senior MP said: “David has always said he is ‘100 per cent behind Theresa’ and I get the sense he would not do anything to bring her down.

“But you cannot rule out him succeeding her if she goes early.”

A source close to the Brexit Secretary said: “This seems a little far fetched. DD is 100 per cent focused on the negotiations and delivering a successful exit from the European Union.”

David Davis has harboured ambitions of winning the Tory crown for nearly two decades. Mr Davis, a former minister in John Major’s government, first put down his marker in the 2001 Conservative leadership contest, when he came fourth. Four years later, he started as favourite, but his lacklustre campaign was eclipsed by the new kid on the Tory block David Cameron. The two men fell out when Mr Davis resigned to fight a by-election over civil liberties, and a lengthy spell on the backbenches followed. His profile remained high in this period, as he intensified campaigning on civil liberties, frequently clashing with Theresa May, and emerged as a leading supporter of Brexit. But it was still a surprise when she brought him back into the big tent last summer with the brief of leading negotiations with Brussels. While fellow Brexiteers Boris Johnson and Liam Fox have appeared sidelined, Mr Davis has been in the thick of things. He has also gained Mrs May’s confidence to the extent that he was said to have been a major influence on her snap election gamble. Were she to quit early, he would be cast as the continuity candidate who would bring stability to the listing ship. Quite a turn of events for the Tory who was until recently written off, but whose ambition burns bright at the age of 68.

Other leadership runners and riders:

Boris Johnson

Foreign Secretary – Perennial favourite of party rank and file, but has fewer friends among Tory MPs. Saw his leadership campaign implode last year.

Amber Rudd

Home Secretary – Survived a scare when she almost lost her Hastings and Rye seat at the election. Would be supported by centrist Tories pressing for a “soft Brexit”.

Jacob Rees-Mogg

NE Somerset MP – The fogeyish MP has attracted a fan club among traditionalist Tories, leading to the rise of the “Moggmentum” phenomenon.

Dominic Raab

Justice minister – Could be a strong candidate if the leadership skips a generation. A keen Brexiteer who used to work for David Davis.

Priti Patel

International Development Secretary – An alternative contender if Tory rank and file want a younger leader. She is in tune with their Brexiteer instincts.

Philip Hammond

Chancellor – His chances appear remote. He is more likely to be a kingmaker.