The Conservative Party leadership contest should not be rushed even though Boris Johnson holds a big lead among party lawmakers, British Trade Minister Liam Fox said on Tuesday.

London Heathrow, the busiest airport in Europe, published its masterplan plan for expansion on Tuesday, including building a controversial third runway and new terminal facilities, at the start of a 12-week statutory consultation.

Boris Johnson got a further boost in his campaign to become Britain's prime minister on Tuesday when a second former rival in the race backed him to lead the country out of its Brexit crisis.

British finance minister Philip Hammond is "prepared to resign" over Prime Minister Theresa May's legacy spending plans, ITV said on Tuesday, citing the Press Association.

The British government said on Tuesday it planned to give the competition watchdog new powers to fine companies selling products such as mortgages, insurance and mobile phones which exploited the loyalty of their customers.

Former Fujitsu executive Simon Blagden has been in talks about taking a seat in Britain's House of Lords and joining the Department for International Trade in a ministerial role, Sky News reported on Monday.

Boris Johnson got a boost in his campaign to replace British Prime Minister Theresa May on Monday when one of his former rivals and EU supporter Matt Hancock backed him saying he was almost certain to win the contest.

Dominic Raab, a candidate to replace British Prime Minister Theresa May, said on Monday he was "quietly confident" of going through to the next round of a Conservative Party leadership contest.

Britain's paralysis over implementing the decision to leave the European Union has damaged its standing on the world stage, said foreign minister Jeremy Hunt, one of six men hoping to become the country's next prime minister.

Michael Gove, a candidate to replace Britain's Theresa May, said on Monday if he became prime minister he would try to win changes to a Brexit deal by opening talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar.