Boris Johnson is the first choice, with the backing of 39 per cent of the membership. Dominic Raab is second, follow by Michael Gove and Matt Hancock

Boris Johnson is the clear favourite to be the next prime minister, according to a poll of members of the Conservative Party.

The former foreign secretary was the first choice to replace Theresa May for 39 per cent of those polled. The second-most popular, Dominic Raab, attracted 13 per cent, with support for all other contenders in single figures.

In a head-to-head vote, Mr Johnson would beat Mr Raab by 59 points to 41, and every other contender by a bigger margin, according to the YouGov poll for The Times in which 858 Tory party members were interviewed between May 10 and 16.

Mr Johnson would be a divisive choice to succeed Mrs May at No 10. Although 49 per cent of the party’s