Boris Johnson has claimed it is “overwhelmingly the desire of the British people” – as well as the Conservative Party and many Labour MPs – for Theresa May to succeed as Prime Minister.

The Foreign Secretary admitted that voters did not want the snap election called by Mrs May in June, but said they now wanted the Government to get on with its job, rather than cause any more “political kerfuffle”.

Mr Johnson was answering questions after a speech in Sydney, on the final leg of an international trip taking in Japan, New Zealand and Australia, where he was asked whether it was time for Mrs May to be “pole-axed” and replaced by another leader.

“We have very good relations with the Poles,” he joked. “So I don’t see any prospect of a Polish attack on Theresa.”

Boris JohnsonMr Johnson reminded reporters that the Conservatives won the election (Brendon Thorne/AP)

He added: “Yes, it is true that the recent General Election did not evolve entirely according to plan. Nobody is going to contest that, OK?

“Actually, it’s vital to remember that we Conservatives didn’t lose. On the contrary we won. We got 56 more seats than the other guys, we were miles ahead. I don’t know how they managed to pull off this impression that they somehow won the election. They didn’t win the election.

“And Theresa May, to her great credit, gripped what was admittedly a difficult situation. She totally gripped it, she did a good deal with the Ulster unionists, she’s bubble-gummed the whole thing together and we are going to get on with it.

Boris JohnsonMr Johnson tours construction work under way at the Sydney Opera House (Dan Himbrechts/AP)

“I tell you why I am confident about this. It is going to work because it is overwhelmingly the desire of the Conservative Party that it should work.

“It is the desire of many Labour MPs that it should work, because they are genuinely terrified of the prospect of Prime Minister Corbyn – as by the way they should be. And it is overwhelmingly the desire of the British public, because they didn’t really want an election, they wanted us to get on and deliver for them.

“They don’t want any more political kerfuffle. They want certainty, stability, a great Brexit and then, as we do a great Brexit, they want us to attend to their needs and their cares and get a better educational system and keep improving our healthcare, keep attending to the priorities of the people.”