General election 2019: Boris Johnson backs Alun Cairns

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has backed Alun Cairns as a Tory candidate calling him "a great MP".

The former Welsh secretary resigned the cabinet on Wednesday after becoming embroiled in a row about the collapse of a rape trial "sabotaged" by former aide Ross England.

The PM said it was "quite appropriate" Mr Cairns had resigned the cabinet while an investigation took place.

He denied his general election campaign had been thrown off course.