Boris Johnson insisted he can 'deliver Brexit and unite the country' today after the Tories installed him as their new leader.
The front runner will become PM tomorrow after being declared the winner of the bruising battle against Jeremy Hunt in a dramatic ceremony at the Queen Elizabeth II Centre in Westminster.
Family members including father Stanley, sister Rachel and brother Jo were among those in the audience to hear the news that he had secured a landslide 66 per cent of the 140,000 votes from activists. However, there was no sign of girlfriend Carrie Symonds.
The announcement was immediately hailed by US President Donald Trump, who said Mr Johnson would do a 'great job'. But EU negotiator Michel Barnier indicated that while he wanted to 'work constructively' with the new PM the Withdrawal Agreement was not up for grabs.
In his victory speech, Mr Johnson - whose ambition as a boy was to be 'World King' - paid tribute to Mr Hunt, and thanked Theresa May for her 'extraordinary' service to the country.
He said the party now had to reconcile the need for a close relationship with Europe to the desire for 'democratic self-government'.
Mr Johnson said he would 'deliver Brexit, unite the country and defeat Jeremy Corbyn'. He joked that the acronym for his 'deliver, unite and defeat' goals was 'DUD'. But he insisted he was going to add an 'E' to make 'DUDE'.
'Dude, we are going to energise the country,' he said to laughter. 'Like some slumbering giant we are going to arise and ping off the guy ropes of self-doubt.'
However, Mr Johnson is also facing a potentially catastrophic Tory mutiny as MPs mobilise against his 'do or die' vow to secure Brexit by Halloween - even if it means crashing out without an agreement.
Education minister Anne Milton quit minutes before Mr Johnson's coronation, saying she had 'grave concerns' and could not fall into line with his Brexit policy.
Justice Secretary David Gauke - another of around half-a-dozen ministers who have said they will resign rather than serve under Mr Johnson - has issued a stark warning that Parliament will find a way to block No Deal.
After Sir Alan Duncan quit as Foreign Office minister yesterday in an abortive effort to force a confidence vote to block Mr Johnson becoming PM, the leadership front runner embarked on a charm offensive.
He held talks with Chancellor Philip Hammond and Mr Gauke last night, but while discussions were 'friendly' they did not back down on their opposition to No Deal.
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