Boris Johnson blasted by Chancellor Philip Hammond who tells him to drop leadership ambitions

BORIS Johnson has been blasted by Philip Hammond as the chancellor told the former foreign secretary to drop any ambitions of becoming Prime Minister.

Mr Hammond said that Mr Johnson wouldn’t be capable of “grown-up” politics and had no idea how his own Brexit plans would pan out.

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On the eve of his speech to the Tory conference, the Chancellor added Johnson was not politically experience enough to lead the party, the reported.

The Chancellor said that Mr Johnson’s biggest achievement was “Boris Bikes” while he was Mayor of London, however, in Mr Hammond’s opinion, Mr Johnson’s achievements stop there.

Mr Hammond added: “Boris is a wonderful character, but he's never been a detail man. I've had many discussions with him on Brexit.”

On the question of him becoming Prime Minister, Mr Hammond said "I don't expect it to happen", while he also mocked Mr Johnson’s way of approaching things and impersonated his manner of speech.

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He continued: “’We just have to want it a bit more, we just have to wish a bit harder, we just have to be a bit more bullish and it will all be fine.' But it won't all be fine because we are dealing with grown ups here and we have to deal with the real world situation we face.”

Mr Hammond’s opinions come after Johnson blasted Theresa May's Brexit strategy as "deranged" and "preposterous" as he threw a political hand grenade ahead of the Tory party conference.

The former foreign secretary's fiery comments came as the Prime Minister set out plans aimed at bolstering her position amid a breakdown in Brexit talks with the EU.

She laid out her plans to crack down on foreigners buying homes and proposals for a nationwide festival in 2022 - the year of the next scheduled general election.

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In comments which will fuel rumours of his own leadership ambitions, Mr Johnson attacked the Prime Minister's approach to Brexit talks.

In an interview with the Sunday Times, he said: "Unlike the Prime Minister, I campaigned for Brexit."

Mr Johnson also branded Mrs May's call for a facilitated customs arrangement - part of the Chequers plan to break the deadlock in Brexit talks - "entirely preposterous".

He added: "Unlike the Prime Minister, I fought for this, I believe in it, I think it's the right thing for our country and I think that what is happening now is, alas, not what people were promised in 2016."