Lord Sugar backs Boris Johnson as PM despite demanding he be jailed over Brexit

Lord Sugar has backed Boris Johnson as the next prime minister - despite having previously suggested he should be jailed for misleading the public over Brexit.

He voiced his opinions on the leading Tory candidate on Sky's Ian King Live on Friday, saying he was "delighted" that Mr Johnson looks like he will be the next Prime Minister.

Lord Sugar said: "And the reason for that is because in a bizarre way, when the next general election comes up, I think the voting public will far prefer him than Jeremy Corbyn.

"So anybody who will stop Corbyn getting into power is going to be backed by me."

He added: "Boris did a relatively good job when he was the mayor of London and when he becomes the Prime Minister I am sure that he will grab Brexit by the horns and get ready for election in 2021."

Lord Sugar also brushed off Mr Johnson's reported "f*** business" comment, questioning whether he actually said it.

He told Sky News: "I can't comment on that because I didn't hear him say that and I very much doubt that he would mean that because business is what makes the world go round, what employs people in this country."

Tweeting his support for Mr Johnson, he said the former foreign secretary "will have a good chance of winning the general election in 2021 if not before".

It marks an about-turn from the Amstrad founder's previous remarks.

In October last year, he said in the House of Lords that Mr Johnson should be prosecuted alongside his fellow Conservative leadership candidate Michael Gove for claims they made during the EU referendum campaign.