Boris Johnson has told Tory MPs plotting to remove Theresa May to "calm down" and hailed the Prime Minister as a "woman of extraordinary qualities".

The Foreign Secretary said in a Whatsapp message to Tory MPs that the public are "fed up to the back teeth of politics and politicians" and do not want another election.

His defence of Mrs May comes after it emerged that five Cabinet ministers have urged Mr Johnson to oust Mrs May in the wake of the disastrous election result.