A DORSET MP has revealed who he will be backing for leadership of the Conservative Party following Boris Johnson's resignation.

Nine Tories have so far put themselves forward to replace Boris Johnson as Prime Minister, just days after a collapse in party support forced his resignation.

Jeremy Hunt, Sajid Javid, Nadhim Zahawi, Grant Shapps, Rishi Sunak, Penny Mordaunt, Attorney General Suella Braverman, ex-minister Kemi Badenoch and senior Tory Tom Tugendhat have all launched their own bids.

A spokesman for Richard Drax has confirmed that the South Dorset MP will be backing Attorney General Suella Braverman to become Johnson's successor.

Dorset Echo: Attorney General Suella Braverman, Tuesday March 15, 2022.Picture: PAAttorney General Suella Braverman, Tuesday March 15, 2022.Picture: PA

The Attorney General has pledged to “move heaven and earth to get this country back on track”, writing in The Telegraph on Saturday that her views on Brexit are “as much a part of me as my DNA”, and advocating a reduction to planned tax hikes “that are putting off investment”.

Mr Drax continued to back the Prime Minister until the very end and expressed his shock at Johnson's resignation.

On Thursday, he told the Echo: "He won an 80-seat majority and now, two years later, all those who rejoiced in the sunshine of that success have pulled out the knives and thrust them into his back.

"He has been vilified. I have never known anything like it."