Tory leadership: Boris Johnson recruits former party leader Iain Duncan Smith to chair campaign

Boris Johnson has appointed Iain Duncan Smith as his “campaign chairman”, in a move likely to alarm moderate Conservatives backing his leadership bid.

The decision to pick the former Tory leader and arch-Brexiteer appeared to be a recognition of the need to bring in a heavyweight to bolster the campaign, now under heavy fire from Jeremy Hunt.

No explanation was given, but Mr Johnson’s bid has been disrupted by apparent splits within his camp over media strategy, with criticism that he has been “shackled”.

Mark Fullbrook, a partner with former Johnson adviser Lynton Crosby, has been targeted for mismanaging the transition between the contest moving from Tory MPs to members, The Times reported.

Mr Johnson has made a succession of media appearances over the last 24 hours, after Mr Hunt’s criticism that he was “a coward”, hiding away from scrutiny.

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