Boris Johnson steps in for PM for first time

Boris Johnson has for the first time become the senior duty minister in Whitehall while Theresa May is on holiday, Downing Street has said.

The Foreign Secretary takes over from Chancellor Philip Hammond who was the senior duty minister last week when the Prime Minister began her annual walking holiday in Switzerland.

A No 10 spokesman stressed however that Mrs May still remained very much in charge of the Government even though she was out of the country.

"The Prime Minister is very much in charge and is constantly kept abreast of what is going on," the spokesman said.