Boris Johnson has 100% support, says Foreign Secretary Liz Truss

Foreign secretary Liz Truss has backed Boris Johnson, saying he has her 100% support as prime minister and should remain in Number 10 as long as possible. The prime minister's leadership is tenable, given the growing anger over a series of parties in Downing Street while the UK was under a strict Covid lockdown.

The prime minister has 100% support. Truss said he is doing an excellent job at a press conference in Sydney. I want the prime minister to continue his job as long as possible. He is doing a fantastic job. Truss, seen a potential leadership candidate if Johnson is forced out, did not answer a question about whether she would run for prime minister if a leadership ballot was held.

She said there was no leadership election.

Asked about the rising anger over No 10's apparent constant defiance of Covid lockdown laws across Britain, Truss said that the British people were focused on the country's economic recovery and that Johnson had acknowledged the error.

The prime minister apologised and said mistakes were made. He is working to open up the economy and deliver for people across Britain, and that is something that people are focused on. Truss was also asked about allegations of blackmail from Tory whips, accused of intimidating rebel backbench MPs who had spoken out against Johnson or defied the party line on votes. I have already commented on the situation in the United Kingdom, but I do not have any information about what is happening on the subject you raise. Truss was in Sydney, along with defence secretary Ben Wallace, for the annual Aukmin talks between Australia's defence and foreign ministers.

Truss said that the UK and Australia are facing global challenges with increasing economic coercion from China, we are seeing increased aggression from Russia, we are seeing Iran in danger of obtaining nuclear capability, and we need to work with all of our friends and partners around the world. Australia is an absolutely crucial ally and friend. Australia s defence minister Peter Dutton said UK submarines would be making more trips to Australia and the Indo-Pacific. We will see greater rotations, as we have seen from the strike carrier group and from the nuclear sub visit out of the UK, he said.

We're going to see more, not just from the UK, but from the United States. More people are aware of the coercion and bullying taking place within the Indo-Pacific and are seeing greater interest from even the Germans and other European nations.