Almost a quarter of Conservative supporters want to see Boris Johnson in No 10

Conservative Party members have put Boris Johnson in the lead to take over from Theresa May, according to a poll which suggests his Brexit gamble has paid off.

Most want the prime minister to quit after Britain has left the European Union in 2019 despite Mrs May’s pledge that she will fight the next election. In a YouGov/Times survey of Tory members, who choose the party leader, Mr Johnson moved ahead of his rivals with 23 per cent. Ruth Davidson, leader of the Scottish Conservatives, and Jacob Rees-Mogg, the right-wing backbencher, were second and third favourites with 19 and 17 per cent respectively.

David Davis, the Brexit secretary, trailed on 11 per cent, marking a turnaround since July when he was the favourite among