LEADING Brexiteer Jacob Rees Mogg has backed Boris Johnson for the leadership of the Conservative party, despite all the controversy swirling around the former foreign secretary.

Mr Rees Mogg described him as “a formidably able man who has a quite remarkable connection with the voters. Lots of people cross the street to shake his hand and that doesn’t happen to many politicians.

“I backed him for the leadership of the party two years ago and I don’t regret it. He is the standard bearer for leaving the European Union. However there is no vacancy at the moment.”

Mr Johnson is hugely popular among the Tory faithful although some fellow MPs regard as untrustworthy and disloyal.

However one of his closest advisers is Bournemouth West MP, Conor Burns. Writing in the Mail on Sunday yesterday, Mr Johnson launched a savage attack on the government’s handling of Brexit.

Mr Rees Mogg was talking to the Echo at a Tory event at the Captain’s Club in Christchurch - just a few hours before new revelations about Mr Johnson’s private life appeared in the press.

Mr Rees Mogg’s 20 minute speech did not make any reference to his colleague, perhaps because he knew the story was about to break.

On claims that Mr Johnson has said f*** business, Mr Rees Mogg said: “It’s not the sort of language I would use but what I understand is what he was saying is that we shouldn’t take the CBI too seriously and I think that’s right. The CBI has been wrong about every major issue in its history.”

He told the Echo there was “a deal to done” on Brexit although it was very hard to say the government had handled the negotiations well. The government had made a number of mistakes in the process, including letting the Irish border issue become a stumbling block.

“I am desperate to be away from the terrible single market and customs union and it is clearly possible for us to get a sensible departure with a free trade agreement next March on friendly terms,” he added.

“For all that I am a euro-sceptic is very important that we remain friendly with the countries of Europe who are our closest neighbours and allies, as we see with the circumstances around Russia.”

The MP dismissed the idea that leading Brexiteers like himself were ‘rich toffs’ with little connection to ordinary people and the notion of a second referendum.

“The second referendum idea is one that only comes from people who lost the first one. People want to go on having referendums until they win but we actually had three votes around this issue. We had the 2015 election that David Cameron won promising a referendum, then the referendum itself and then the last election where both Labour and the Conservatives said they would implement the result. The idea that you keep on having votes until you get result you want is very silly.”

Mr Rees Mogg denied there was any polling evidence suggesting a move back to a remain majority. “These are completely bogus surveys from constituencies.” He said he was probably “atypical of Brexit voters. Most members of the establishment are pro-Remain. And I probably know what’s so wrong with the establishment because I have been so close to it for most of my life.”

The event was a celebration of the 21st anniversary of Sir Christopher Chope winning Christchurch back for the Conservatives.