‘Blue collar’ Work and Pensions Secretary Stephen Crabb makes dig at Boris Johnson as he launches bid for Prime Minister

STEPHEN Crabb launched his bid to become the next Prime Minister by saying he’s willing to get his hands dirty and making a thinly-veiled dig at Boris Johnson.

The Work and Pensions Secretary, standing under a banner with his slogan "A plan for unity and opportunity”, said he knows he is the underdog in the race to replace David Cameron.

But he believes there is space for him in the battle between the former London Mayor and Theresa May, running on a ‘blue collar’ double ticket with the Business Secretary Sajid Javid.

"We have to get past this Boris, 'stop Boris' dichotomy," he told reporters at a press conference in central London.

He said he was willing to get his hands dirty in his fight to take on the two Tory heavyweights, saying: "Nothing is handed to you on a plate."

And in a thinly-veiled dig at Mr Johnson, said: "On the rugby fields of west Wales it's not a case of waiting for the ball to pop out of the back of the scrum."

This is a reference to the famous reply Boris said when asked if he would like to follow Mr Cameron into Downing Street.

Mr Javid confirmed he would be the next Chancellor if his man wins, declaring “we’re all Brexiteers now” and ruling out a second referendum.

He told the Today programme Mr Crabb had what it takes to lead this country and “make sure it comes out a stronger and much more united country”.

The pair are expected to run on a blue-collar ticket as a counter to the Old Etonian campaign of Mr Johnson.

Mr Crabb, who grew up on a council estate in Wales, will formally announce his candidacy this morning and reveal a top priority will be to take back control of immigration policy.

He is setting out his stall ahead of the former London Mayor and the other frontrunner for the Tory leadership Theresa May.

The work and pensions secretary wrote in the Telegraph: "We cannot allow this leadership election to be defined by divisive labels like 'Remainer' and 'Brexiteer'.”

This comment was echoed by his running mate, who told Radio 4 there was “no going back” – ruling out the chance for Brits to go back to the polls after last week’s historic vote for Brexit.

“It’s all about implementation now,” Mr Javid said.

“There’s no distinction between Brexiteers and Remainers anymore- in some ways we’re all Brexiteers now.”

Asked if it would be difficult for two men who both backed Remain to lead a Government post-Brexit, he said all that mattered was that the will of the British people was enacted.

But he and Mr Crabb face an uphill battle in the fight to run the country, with a number of Tory MPs already declaring for Boris or Ms May.

Mr Johnson has already picked up support from both sides of the referendum debate, including Priti Patel, Liz Truss, Sir Nicholas Soames, Jacob Rees-Mogg and Dominic Raab.

And the Home Secretary last night topped a poll on the Conservative Home website, with 29% a point ahead of her fierce rival.

Andrea Leadsom was on 13%, while Mr Crabb was on 9%.

Allies of Mr Johnson claimed last night he had been kept waiting for almost 40 minutes for a meeting with Mrs May on Monday before being told that she would not attend.

The attempted get-together was arranged by ministers calling for a “unity leadership”.

We reported in The Sun that a friend of the home secretary said: “Theresa was adamant there would be no deal, we are in it to win it.”

The party has also pushed back the date of the conclusion of the leadership race by a week.

The 1922 Committee of Tory backbenchers said more time was required, and made September 9 the date the new Prime Minister will be unveiled.