Jacob Rees-Mogg is hosting secret ‘Back Boris’ dinners for Conservative MPs at his London townhouse in preparation for an expected leadership contest this summer, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.

The powerful Tory Brexiteer has organised a series of discreet wine-fuelled soirees at his £6 million Westminster home in an attempt to boost the former Foreign Secretary’s following in the Commons.

While Mr Johnson has long been the most popular choice among Tory party members to succeed Theresa May, it falls to Conservative MPs to decide – through a series of votes – which two candidates go into the final ballot, in which rank-and-file members vote... and his allies fear that he will not make the cut.

Jacob Rees-Mogg, pictured outside his home in London, has been hosting secret ‘Back Boris’ dinners in preparation for an expected leadership contest this summer

The jockeying for the leadership has become increasingly unsubtle since December’s no confidence vote, when 117 Tory MPs failed to back Mrs May.

Most of the potential candidates are working on the assumption a contest will be triggered after Brexit, to allow a new leader to be in place by the end of the summer.

Among those expected to run are Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, Home Secretary Sajid Javid, Chief Secretary to the Treasury Liz Truss, ex-Brexit Secretary David Davis and, a ‘dark horse’ candidate, former Chief Whip Mark Harper.

The guests invited by Mr Rees-Mogg to the ‘Back Boris’ dinners have been predominantly, but not exclusively, members of the 2015 and 2017 intake of Tory MPs.

Boris Johnson, pictured with Carrie Symonds, is one of the potential candidates expected to run in the next leadership race

They listen to Mr Rees-Mogg paying tribute to the virtues of Mr Johnson who then addresses the gatherings.

Last night, Mr Rees-Mogg confirmed he was hosting dinners involving Mr Johnson and other Tory MPs at the five-storey, 18th Century mansion he owns just 300 yards from the House of Commons. He said: ‘If there were a contest tomorrow I would back Boris Johnson. But there’s no vacancy, so there’s no campaign’.

He also insisted the dinners he is hosting are ‘relatively informal conversations to see where people in the party are’.

The revelation comes as both Mr Rees-Mogg and Mr Johnson have indicated a weakening in their opposition to Mrs May’s Brexit deal. They have been spooked by cross-party moves, led by former Tory Attorney General Dominic Grieve and Labour MP Yvette Cooper, to delay or soften Brexit.

Both men have grown increasingly alarmed that if Mrs May’s deal is blocked they could lose Brexit completely. The North East Somerset MP has told friends: ‘It is time to compromise.’

Last week’s Mail on Sunday revealed how Mr Rees-Mogg was relaxing his opposition to Mrs May’s deal. He wrote in this newspaper: ‘If I had to choose between no deal and Mrs May’s original accord, I would have no hesitation of opting for a no-deal Brexit but even Mrs May’s deal would be better than not leaving at all’.

Friends of Mr Johnson have also indicated he would support the Prime Minister’s deal if she succeeded in removing the controversial Northern Ireland ‘backstop’, which would keep the province tied to Brussels rules.

MPs listen to Mr Rees-Mogg paying tribute to the virtues of Mr Johnson, pictured in the House of Commons, who then addresses the gatherings at the London dinner parties

Mrs May faces another day of drama on Tuesday, over a series of amendments placed by opponents of Brexit including one by Ms Cooper which would hand Parliament the power to demand a delay to Brexit. Downing Street is hopeful the party will unite around an amendment tabled by Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee.

It calls for the Irish backstop to be replaced with ‘alternative arrangements to avoid a hard border’, but ‘supports leaving the EU with a deal and would therefore support the Withdrawal Agreement subject to this change’.

But the selection of which amendments are debated and voted on is the gift of Speaker John Bercow, who has so far proved deeply reluctant to help the Government.

Such is the backlog of legislation which needs to be cleared before Brexit, No.10 is considering radical extensions to MPs’ sitting hours. It means they could be in the Chamber from 9am until midnight on Tuesdays and Wednesdays – and even have to work through the February recess.

After Mrs May lost the meaningful vote earlier this month, Mr Rees-Mogg angered No 10 when he celebrated by throwing a ‘Gatsby’ champagne party in the house for Tory Right-wingers including former Iain Duncan Smith, John Whittingdale – and Mr Johnson.

The former London Mayor –recently seen out with new girlfriend, Carrie Symonds, 30 – has struggled to build a ‘supporter’ network among backbench Tory MPs.

One said: ‘He might be one of the few politicians known by his first name but he’s never really been a House of Commons man. He’s always been a bit aloof. It means he hasn’t got that much of an enthusiastic following on the Tory benches.’

A Johnson ally hit back, saying: ‘It’s not fair to criticise Boris for not being personally well known by colleagues. He’s always been centrestage in a way ordinary backbenchers aren’t when they first come in. He was London Mayor, then led the Leave campaign and after that was Foreign Secretary.’

Steve Bray, who howls ‘Stop Brexit’ at the gates of Parliament, has moved into a £6 million house opposite Jacob Rees-Mogg

But watch out chaps, look who's moved in to mansion next door!

By Harry Cole, Deputy Political Editor

An eccentric Welshman who spends all day howling ‘Stop Brexit’ at the gates of Parliament has moved into a £6 million house opposite Jacob Rees-Mogg, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.

Rare coin collector turned political activist Steve Bray, nicknamed Stop Brexit Man, is using thousands of pounds raised from supporters to rent the luxury townhouse on one of the most exclusive streets in Britain.

Mr Bray, 48, of Port Talbot, has held a daily vigil dressed in a blue top hat and EU/Union flag cape since 2017, but he shot to notoriety after heckling Mr Rees-Mogg on TV last autumn, branding the Brexiteer ‘a disgrace’. Now their political battle is dividing the ‘millionaires’ row’ of Cowley Street in the heart of Westminster.

He has asked members of the public to provide him with more than £12,000 to fund his lavish pad for two months in the run-up to Britain’s departure from the EU on March 29. He is also understood to have received a private donation from plumbing magnate Charlie Mullins.

Mr Rees-Mogg, who was unaware of his new neighbour, said: ‘Should he wish to borrow a cup of sugar, he would be very welcome.’