UK cabinet minister Clarke backs Johnson to become PM

LONDON - Simon Clarke became the latest senior British minister on Friday to back former prime minister Boris Johnson to replace Liz Truss as the nation's next leader.

Clarke, the Secretary of State for Levelling up, Housing and Communities, said on Twitter he was backing Johnson, who has not publicly declared that he is standing in the race to replace Truss.

Earlier business minister Jacob Rees-Mogg said he was supporting Johnson, while defence minister Ben Wallace said he would "lean towards" Johnson, when asked who he planned to back.