The Cumbrian MP battling to become the country's next Prime Minister has become the politician most likely to topple Boris Johnson, according to bookmaker William Hill.

After beginning as a rank outsider, Penrith and the Border MP Rory Stewart has seen his popularity rocket.

According to William Hill, the odds for him to succeed Theresa May as Prime Minister are now 10/1.

That puts Mr Stewart ahead of all the other candidates who are challenging Johnson, including Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt (14/1) and Environment Secretary Michael Gove (20/1).

The odds were released today after Stewart turned in a confident performance at last night's Channel 4 would-be leaders debate, which heard from all the candidates except Boris Johnson.

After accusing his rivals of pursuing a "competition in machismo", Stewart told viewers: "I have spent the last few weeks travelling around this country, from Londonderry to Derby, and everywhere that I have been I have felt a sense of palpable anger of a country that feels less than the sum of its parts.

"I began as the rank outsider in this race," he added. "100/1 against me. According to my wife today, I am now number 2 at the bookies.

"But I am still an outsider and I am campaigning on telling the truth as I see it and never making promises that we can't deliver. I would invite you to send me through to that final round so that we can make this great party and this great country, again, something founded on honesty and trust."