The news that Boris Johnson will become prime minister on Wednesday after securing victory in the battle for the Conservative Party leadership has not been exactly warmly welcomed by all politicians in Halton.

The former foreign secretary, who was the firm favourite to win the contest, defeated Jeremy Hunt in the ballot of Tory members Mr Johnson secured 92,153 of the vote compared to 46,656 for Mr Hunt to win the Tory leadership.

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Weaver Vale Labour MP Mike Amesbury, pictured above, said today: "Boris Johnson’s gaffe-strewn tenure as foreign secretary has proven that he is simply not capable of holding high office - now he has the highest office in the land.

“This is a man who’s been sacked twice for lying and made racist and homophobic remarks in the past, a man who’s shown only an unswerving abilty to put his interests before those of his colleagues, his party and the country.

“A man who was so dismissive of the fears of business over the potential consequences of Brexit is not the man industry is going to be able to rely on.

"A man who described the £250,000 salary for his newspaper column ‘side job’ while he worked as London mayor as ‘chicken feed’ is not someone the many of our fellow citizens living in poverty or using food banks will be able to expect empathy from.

“Myself and fellow Labour MPs will be working hard to hold the new Prime Minister to account.”

Mr Johnson will be appointed as prime minister on Wednesday by the Queen after Theresa May formally resigns from the office.

Mrs May will take one last round of Prime Minister’s Question in the Commons on Wednesday before travelling to Buckingham Palace to offer her resignation.