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The Conservative Party conference in Manchester has been dominated by rumours over Mr Johnson's ambitions, after he set out a series of personal "red lines" for Brexit negotiations. And his comments have even sparked calls for Theresa May to drop him from the Cabinet over rumours he could be seeking a leadership challenge. But today the west London MP gave his 'Let the Lion Roar' speech, outlining his vision for Brexit and his party as he vowed the party was united behind the prime minister. Taking to the podium today, Boris Johnson criticised international media for their gloomy outlook on Brexit Britain, saying: "British international news or magaizines, glossy covered, elegantly written, sledom read, every week the publications have found new reasons to be less than cheerful.They make Eeyore look positive. "Across the world, and it pains me to say it, the impression being given is UK is not up to it."

GETTY Boris Johnson will issue a rallying cry for Brexit

But the foreign secretary insisted that was not the case - and that his party would secure a positive outcome from European Union negotiations and secure a great Brexit deal. He said: "There are people say we can’t do it. We say we can. "We can win the future because we are the party that believes in this country and we believe in the potential of the British people. We have been privileged collectively to be placed in charge of this amazing country at a critical moment in our history. "We are not the lion. We do not claim to be the lion. "That role is played by the people of this country. But it is up to us now – in the traditional non-threatening, genial and self-deprecating way of the British – to let that lion roar."

AFP Brexit speech: Boris Johnson said it was time to seize opprtunities

But he also used his speech to savage Mrs May's political rival, saying: "Most pessimistic of them all is not the media or the EU Commission, its Jeremy Corbyn. "Whose first instinct is to up-end the analysis until he can blame British foreign policy." He slammed Corbyn for “siding” with Venezuela - calling him “Caracas” for calling its socialist dictator a friend despite its appalling human rights record. Mr Johnson added: “At a time when the world should unite to condemn Venezuela’s Maduro, we have the leader of Britain’s official opposition giving cover to a government that is jailing opponents, shooting demonstrators, intimidating journalists and repressing human rights.” He also reminded the Labour leader that the Conservatives won the election, saying it was a disgrace that somehow Mr Corbyn believes "he somehow won the election." The foreign secretary added: "He didn’t win. You won – we won. Theresa May won."

Conservative Party Conference 2017: Photos Wed, October 4, 2017 Latest pictures from the Conservative party conference 2017 held in Manchester. Play slideshow AFP/Getty Images 1 of 33 A protester (R) gives a thumbs-up after he got to the podium and handed a paper with P45 written on it to Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May as she was delivering her speech

And he issued a rallying cry for the party to unite, insisting the cabinet was behind the PM 100 per cent. He continued: "She won more votes than any party leader and took this party to its highest share of the vote in any election in the last 25 years and the whole country owes her a debt for her steadfastness in taking Britain forward as she will to a great Brexit deal. "Based on that Florence speech on whose every syllable the whole cabinet is united. "Corbyn is content to talk this country down. In out in out faster than one of those members of the shadow cabinet. "It would be disastrous if that negotiating strategy was put into practice."

REUTERS Theresa May laughed off rumours of a leadership challenge

Mr Johnson's rousing speech, which was frequently met with cheers and claps from the crowd, went on to priase Britain and its posiiton as a global nation. He said: "We contribute 25 per cent of European aid spending and yet no one seriously complains that we have a sinister national agenda and that is why the phrase global Britain makes sense because if you said Global China or global Russia or even alas Global America it would not have quite the same flavour. "I am not saying that everyone automatically loves us or that everyone completely follows our sense of humour, though a lot more than you might think. "But there is a huge desire out there for us to engage with the world more emphatically than ever before. "Yes we are leaving the EU - and as the pM said, we can create a deep and special partnership built on free trade with a strong EU supported by a strong UK.

AFP May will not be in attendance when Johnson takes to the podium

"We will be no less European. Britain will continue to be European in historic, culture, morally - probably. "We are a quintessential European nation. That is because our most important exports are British values, embodied across the country. "A society that welcomes talent, that is proud of the EU nationals and the other nationals that have enriched our lives. "A society that doesn’t judge you. That is the genius of our country. "It is thanks to that we are at the cutting edge of new markets and new technology." He added it was time to stop complaining about the EU referendum result, saying: "The highest number of people in work ever, the number one destination for investment into Europe and every time one of these facts emerges it is reported in tones of slight disapproval, and with the inevitable qualification – despite Brexit.

AFP The foreign secretary slammed Jeremy Corbyn

"It is time to stop treating the referendum result as though it were a plague of boils or a murrain on our cattle or an inexplicable aberration by 17.4m people. "It is time to be bold, and to seize the opportunities and there is no country better placed than Britain." Theresa May previously said she will not be in attendance when Boris Johnson takes to the podium at the Conservative party conference in Manchester this afternoon. She also confirmed the Foreign Secretary’s speech has been “looked at” by Downing Street officials after the controversial politician laid down his red lines on the government’s EU negotiations. Mrs May claimed that it is standard practice for the speeches to be cleared by Number 10 prior to being delivered to the floor, as she she laughed off rumours of a leadership challenge. The foreign secretary was told by Chancellor Philip Hammond that "everyone is sackable" after his latest Brexit intervention.

AFP Boris Johnson insisted he was loyal to the PM