BORIS Johnson's approval ratings have plummeted in the wake of his "plate-smashing" scandal, a bombshell new poll has revealed.

A Survation survey of likely voters has seen the embattled leadership favourite slip behind rival Jeremy Hunt in the race to be Prime Minister.

5 Boris doubled down on his claim that he would be able to waive tariffs on EU goods Credit: AP:Associated Press

5 Jeremy Hunt promised to deliver Brexit before an election Credit: PA:Press Association

Jeremy Hunt delivers hustings speech and lists his goals he will pursue if he becomes a Prime Minister

The day before cops arrived to quiz Johnson over his domestic row with girlfriend Carrie Symonds, he boasted a commanding eight-point lead over his successor as Foreign Secretary.

And Tory voters gave him a massive 27 per cent lead over Hunt, reports the Mail on Sunday.

But the row put Hunt three points ahead with voters - with Johnson's lead among Tories collapsing to just 11 per cent.

But meanwhile a ComRes poll for the Sunday Telegraph put Johnson 22 points ahead among Tory Councillors with a whopping 61 per cent backing him to be PM.

Johnson ducked questions about his private life yesterday but still won his first leadership tussle with Tory rival Jeremy Hunt.

Facing 1,500 grassroots party members to launch his pitch for power, the PM-in-waiting flatly refused six times to talk about his headline-making row with his girlfriend.



BORIS IS 'SECURITY RISK'

For 15 excruciating minutes, he was bombarded with awkward posers about the early-hours bust-up with Carrie Symonds.

But he shrugged them off, insisting: “I don’t think people want to hear about that kind of thing. What they want to hear is what my plans are for this country.”

It comes after cabinet allies of Mr Hunt warned that Johnson's private life makes him a security risk.

A source told the Sunday Times: "There will be things in his private life that we don’t know about.

"There’s the danger that people leak what they have over him or blackmail him with it."

BoJo was speaking at the first of 16 head-to-head hustings barely 36 hours after cops were called to his London flat when a neighbour who heard Carrie screaming called 999.

Some party supporters in Birmingham jeered when interviewer Iain Dale asked him about the incident — but others shouted: “Answer the question”.

Keeping his cool, Mr Johnson side-stepped, saying his private life was nobody else’s business.

Instead he promised a new “gung-ho spirit” for Britain with tougher law and order, more funding for schools and Brexit delivered on time by October 31.

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Broadcaster Mr Dale pressed him: “If the police are called to your home it makes it everyone’s business. You are running for office, not just of Conservative Party leader but of Prime Minister.”

The crowd booed, but in good humour Mr Johnson told them: “Don’t boo the great man.” He added: “I’ve tried to give my answer pretty exhaustively.

“I think what people want to know is whether I have the determination and the courage to deliver on the commitments that I’m making and it will need a lot of grit right now.”

5 Boris Johnson pictured with his girlfriend Carrie Symonds Credit: London News Pictures

5 Johnson received applause as he declared 'let's take Britain forward' Credit: Andrew Parsons

5 Journalist Iain Dale took Johnson to task with a series of strong questions about the row Credit: Reuters

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