Theresa May is ‘loyally supported at the moment’ says Michael Fallon

Theresa May is “loyally supported at the moment”, according to the Defence Secretary Michael Fallon as he insisted he “absolutely not” interested in her job.

Speaking ahead of visit to Sydney, Sir Michael also rejected suggestions that Ms May’s administration – deprived of its majority following the general election – is unstable.

Asked in an interview published in the Sydney Morning Herald whether he had ever contemplated a bid for Downing Street, the Defence Secretary replied: “Absolutely not. Absolutely not. I've never considered that.

“We have a Prime Minister and I want to see her, as she is doing, being loyally supported at the moment.”

And asked whether Mrs May herself would last as PM, he added: “ I hope so, absolutely. She led us into the election and we didn't get the majority she wanted but she won the most seats, she won the most votes. I think she will last.”

On Tuesday Boris Johnson also said voters no longer wanted “political kerfuffle” regarding leadership challenges. On a visit to New Zealand, as part of nine-day international tour, the Foreign Secretary said: “What the British people want to see is a Government that gets on with the job and they’ve got that with Theresa and we are going to deliver a great Brexit deal.

Echoing Sir Michael’s comments, Mr Johnson continued: “Let’s be clear, the election did not evolve entirely in the way the government had hoped or would have wanted. But the Labour party did not win; they were 50 seats behind.”

When asked if "infighting" could compromise progress in trade discussions, Mr Johnson said any suggestion of discord in the Conservative Party had "completely passed me by".

The comments from the senior ministers came as the Prime Minister was photographed on holiday with her husband, Philip, in Desenzano del Garda in northern Italy. Last week Ms May joked that fellow Conservatives may be relieved that she is not returning to Wales, where she decided to take the gamble and call a snap election while waking in Snowdonia at Easter.

"I think there are many people who are grateful I'm going to the Alps and not to Wales again," she told LBC radio.

But following the inconclusive election, speculation and rumours have been rife in Westminster over a potential successor to Ms May in the Conservative party. Cabinet discipline also broke down after a series of hostile briefings were made against Philip Hammond, the Chancellor.