Most popular candidate to succeed Theresa May as Tory leader is now ‘None of the above’

The most popular candidate to succeed Prime Minister Theresa May among Conservative activists is a surprise winner – ‘None of the above’.

In a poll of Conservative members by the Conservative Home website, Brexit Secretary David Davis came out first – but more members voted for ‘None of the above’, rather than pick one of the seven suggested successors.

Davis is now the bookies’ favourite to replace May at 4/1 with Ladbrokes – ahead of close rivals Chancellor Philip Hammond and Boris Johnson.

In the poll, Davis now has the support of 24% of members, overtaking foreign secretary Boris Johnson on 18%.

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International Development Secretary Priti Patel is in third place at 8%.

So far, though, serious leadership challenges are being held back by a fear of a second election – and a Jeremy Corbyn victory, one Conservative MP said.

The MP told the Telegraph, ‘The person holding the party together is Jeremy Corbyn. The fear of Corbyn is greater than any nuance in the Brexit negotiation.