Heir apparent? I think not.

Should Mr Johnson decide that being PM is not for him after his close run thing with Covid-19, Mr Raab cannot be assumed to be heir apparent.   

Given he never even made the last five for the election as Party leader, and therefore as candidate to be prime minister, he cannot legitimately claim Conservative party support.   

Surely a new Conservative leader, and therefore PM, has to be Mr Gove who was in 3rd place in the leadership election and the only current cabinet member in that last five other than Mr Johnson, or Mr Hunt who went on to be runner up in the contest.    

It’s either of them or another leadership election.