Grant Shapps has said he believes a straight-talking conversation with Boris Johnson was part of the reason the prime minister decided to step down during the Tory rebellion.
The transport secretary, who is one of Tory leadership hopefuls, said he made sure his boss was “getting the facts” as he was quickly losing support from his party in a very public manner.
“He listened carefully and, as we know, the next morning said that he would stand down,” he told Sky’s Sophy Ridge on Sunday.
The Tory leadership race is heating up with Mr Shapps joining seven other MPs who have put their names forward.
Others include Sajid Javid and Jeremy Hunt, who both threw their hat in the ring on Saturday, as well as Nadhim Zahawi and Rishi Sunak.
Brexit, tax cuts and transgender rights are among the issues the hopefuls have been setting out their positions on.
