Brexit news: Boris Johnson falls behind Jeremy Hunt in poll of British voters' preferred PM, amid Trump-esque hustings claim and no-deal hint

Mr Johnson is asked whether he would turn the region into a "South Western Powerhouse". He agrees and says: "The South West needs that focus as well. The program is one that we should develop further."

He says he wants to make sure "local cottage hospitals" are maintained in rural areas.

Mr Johnson is asked about his avoidance of TV debates, with the questioner using a phrase of Margaret Thatcher's. "Are you frit? And if you are frit, are you fit to be prime minister."

He says that two head-to-head debates are "more than enough to glut the appetite" and makes the Trumpian claim that “no one could have done as many hustings as I have done".

Mr Johnson says that he wants a "points-based immigration system",  so that "we don't just have people coming in without jobs to go to."

“I do think freedom of movement does not work," he adds. "That was not working for us anymore. Yes we can be open, yes we can be welcoming of talent, but it needs to be democratically controlled."

Boris Johnson says he regrets his attempt to normalise relations with Russia while foreign minister. "I really thought that it was possible to eyeball the Russians and get a new relationship... build a new friendship, a new partnership, it just isn't there."

He says Mr Putin is "totally wrong" that liberalism is obsolete. 

On Iran's nuclear program, Mr Johnson said he would urge Iran not to breach the nuclear deal, adding: "I would urge them not to go down that track, I would urge them to continue to show restraint - that's the sensible thing."

He earlier said: "The reality is that, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency, the Iranians are currently compliant... yes, they are pushing at the margins, but they are still technically compliant.

"That does not mean that they are to be trusted and we need to be very, very vigilant about Iran and about that government because they are bent on all sorts of mischief in the region.

"I think one of the areas where Donald Trump talks sense - and there are several by the way, there are many areas - I think it is right for us to work both with the Americans and with our European friends to constrain Iran in the region."

Mr Johnson claims he has never known a time when there has been so much talent within the Conservative Party.

He does not commit to having a quota of 50 per cent women in cabinet but says he will "advance the interests of women in government and parliament."

He confirms he wants to raise tax and national insurance thresholds, adding: "Too many people on low incomes are paying too much on tax."

Mr Johnson promises to work with the Irish government and pledges that there would be no hard border with Ireland "under any circumstances".

"The whole of the UK will come out of the EU entire and united without in any way prejudicing the government of Northern Ireland. We will get it done."

Penultimate question: Will you say no to Huawei?

Mr Johnson says: "I am very dubious about anything that compromises security. it may be that there are useful things that can be done in infrastructure, but we should not be doing anything that will deter cooperation with our most valuable intelligence partners."

A 17 year-old Tory member asks if Mr Johnson will lower the voting age to 16.

The MP congratulates the questioner for becoming a member of the party and being able to vote in the leadership election but says he is "not attracted to reducing the age of the franchise".

"I want people to value their votes. We don't get enough 18 to 24 year-olds voting, let alone 16 to 18 year-olds."