ALEX BRUMMER: Rishi Sunak, the early frontrunner to succeed Mr Johnson, has no choice but to defend the huge tax rises he embedded when he was in the hot seat at the Treasury.
Allies of Mr Sunak have contacted friends of the former Health Secretary, arguing that he does not have the support or infrastructure and that they are competing for the same voters.
Mr Sunak stepped down after a major bust-up with Mr Johnson last weekend, with Mr Sunak allegedly having refused point black to cut corporation tax despite the PM s demands.
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The scale of the fallout emerged in Survation research carried out on Wednesday - before the PM finally accepted that his time in power was coming to a close.