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George Osborne has been passed by both Boris Johnson and Theresa May in the race to become next Tory leader, an exclusive poll reveals today.

The Chancellor has slipped from first to third place among Conservative supporters in the past two months, Ipsos MORI found for the Evening Standard.

Second, after a leap of eight points, is Home Secretary Mrs May, whose party conference speech attacked the European Union.

The top spot has been taken by the Mayor of London, up three points. Mr Johnson is backed by 32 per cent of Tories supporters, with 26 per cent picking Mrs May and 23 per cent opting for the Chancellor.

Mr Johnson also retains a clear lead among the general public when they are asked which Tory would make them more likely to vote for the party.

He is on 25 per cent, followed by Mrs May on 19 per cent and Mr Osborne on 11 per cent.

The results will infuriate allies of the hard-working Chancellor, whose dominance of Westminster politics will be on show next week when he delivers his latest spending review and Autumn Statement. But there is more bad news with the finding that his ratings as Chancellor have plunged since July when he announced the controversial crackdown on tax credits which was defeated in the Lords.

A majority of the public, 52 per cent, are dissatisfied with his performance — the first time since March 2013, a year after the “omnishambles Budget”, that he has scored a negative net verdict.

However, there is one consolation for him — just 22 per cent think Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and shadow chancellor John McDonnell would do a better job of running the economy.

Gideon Skinner, head of political research at Ipsos MORI, said: “George Osborne has lost some of his sparkle in the eyes of the public since summer, as Britons’ nerves about the economy and public services increase.

“But Labour still lack credibility as an alternative. Four in 10 think they’d do a worse job on the economy, no better for them than before the election.”

Rumours are swirling around Westminster that Mr Johnson could back the campaign to quit the European Union, which some Tories think would clinch him the leadership.

David Cameron has announced he will step down before the 2020 election and Tory Party members will choose his successor.