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| Gove ally apologises for plot to stop Leadsom leadership bid | Gove ally apologises for plot to stop Leadsom leadership bid |
| (about 2 months later) | |
| Michael Gove has been accused of trying to rig the Conservative party leadership election, after his campaign chief begged MPs to vote tactically to stop the “seriously frightening” risk of Andrea Leadsom becoming prime minister. | Michael Gove has been accused of trying to rig the Conservative party leadership election, after his campaign chief begged MPs to vote tactically to stop the “seriously frightening” risk of Andrea Leadsom becoming prime minister. |
| Nick Boles, a Tory MP and ally of Gove, apologised for his comments through which he had infuriated parliamentary colleagues by emailing supporters of the frontrunner, Theresa May, to ask that they help exclude Leadsom from the shortlist of two candidates to voted on by members. | Nick Boles, a Tory MP and ally of Gove, apologised for his comments through which he had infuriated parliamentary colleagues by emailing supporters of the frontrunner, Theresa May, to ask that they help exclude Leadsom from the shortlist of two candidates to voted on by members. |
| Boles said Gove would not mind “spending two months taking a good thrashing from Theresa ... if it that’s what it takes to stop AL [Andrea Leadsom].” | Boles said Gove would not mind “spending two months taking a good thrashing from Theresa ... if it that’s what it takes to stop AL [Andrea Leadsom].” |
| It has particularly angered Conservative MPs because it appears to insult the membership of around 150,000 party members, who will vote on the result. | It has particularly angered Conservative MPs because it appears to insult the membership of around 150,000 party members, who will vote on the result. |
| A message from Boles to one MP, marked confidential and ending with a kiss, read: “I am seriously frightened about the risk of allowing Andrea Leadsom on to the membership ballot. What if Theresa stumbles? Are we really confident that the membership won’t vote for a fresh face who shares their attitude about much of modern life? Like they did with IDS [Iain Duncan Smith, Tory leader from 2001 to 2003].” | A message from Boles to one MP, marked confidential and ending with a kiss, read: “I am seriously frightened about the risk of allowing Andrea Leadsom on to the membership ballot. What if Theresa stumbles? Are we really confident that the membership won’t vote for a fresh face who shares their attitude about much of modern life? Like they did with IDS [Iain Duncan Smith, Tory leader from 2001 to 2003].” |
| Gove was challenged about the message by Graham Stuart, a Conservative MP, during a party leadership hustings held in Westminster on Wednesday evening. One supporter of May said Gove “giggled” and did not deny that it came from his camp. | Gove was challenged about the message by Graham Stuart, a Conservative MP, during a party leadership hustings held in Westminster on Wednesday evening. One supporter of May said Gove “giggled” and did not deny that it came from his camp. |
| Another MP said that other allies of Gove were also ringing round urging people to lend their vote to the justice secretary because Leadsom on the shortlist would be “dangerous”. | Another MP said that other allies of Gove were also ringing round urging people to lend their vote to the justice secretary because Leadsom on the shortlist would be “dangerous”. |
| Boles said Gove was unaware of the plot to persuade backers of May to vote tactically in Thursday’s crunch ballot by MPs which chooses the two contenders grassroots members will decide between. | Boles said Gove was unaware of the plot to persuade backers of May to vote tactically in Thursday’s crunch ballot by MPs which chooses the two contenders grassroots members will decide between. |
| Boles tweeted that he had apologised to Gove, adding: “He did not know about it let alone authorise it. And it does not reflect his views.” | Boles tweeted that he had apologised to Gove, adding: “He did not know about it let alone authorise it. And it does not reflect his views.” |
| Shown the message outside the hustings, Duncan Smith also a supporter of Leadsom, said: “People with knives will end up stabbing themselves. This is a positive campaign ... Whoever wins this contest has to bring the party and country back together. I do think emails and texts like that are failing to smell the coffee, wake up and recognise we want to come back together, and govern as a Conservative party, that we can get on with each other and do not want to spend time stabbing each other in the back.” | Shown the message outside the hustings, Duncan Smith also a supporter of Leadsom, said: “People with knives will end up stabbing themselves. This is a positive campaign ... Whoever wins this contest has to bring the party and country back together. I do think emails and texts like that are failing to smell the coffee, wake up and recognise we want to come back together, and govern as a Conservative party, that we can get on with each other and do not want to spend time stabbing each other in the back.” |
| It comes just a week after Gove abandoned his role as campaign chair for Boris Johnson, and knocked his friend out of the contest for the leadership by declaring he wanted the job himself. | It comes just a week after Gove abandoned his role as campaign chair for Boris Johnson, and knocked his friend out of the contest for the leadership by declaring he wanted the job himself. |
| May currently has the support of more than half of the 330-strong Conservative parliamentary party and is almost certain to make it on to the shortlist. Voting on Thursday will decide the final pair, with Gove and Leadsom battling for the second place. | May currently has the support of more than half of the 330-strong Conservative parliamentary party and is almost certain to make it on to the shortlist. Voting on Thursday will decide the final pair, with Gove and Leadsom battling for the second place. |
| On Wednesday, May urged MPs to vote for who they think will be the best person to be in charge, saying there should be “no deals, no tactical voting, and no coronation”. However, there has been persistent talk among MPs of a covert operation among some of her supporters to stop Leadsom making the ballot. | On Wednesday, May urged MPs to vote for who they think will be the best person to be in charge, saying there should be “no deals, no tactical voting, and no coronation”. However, there has been persistent talk among MPs of a covert operation among some of her supporters to stop Leadsom making the ballot. |
| May outpolls the justice secretary among party members, but one ConservativeHome poll has the two women almost neck and neck, with Leadsom narrowly ahead. | May outpolls the justice secretary among party members, but one ConservativeHome poll has the two women almost neck and neck, with Leadsom narrowly ahead. |
| The Boles message appears to have embarrassed Gove’s campaign at a time when Leadsom is under pressure over her failure to publish her tax returns like her rivals. | The Boles message appears to have embarrassed Gove’s campaign at a time when Leadsom is under pressure over her failure to publish her tax returns like her rivals. |
| At the same hustings, Leadsom told MPs that she was happy to show them a summary if they ask, but she would not immediately follow in the footsteps of her opponents and publish the details publicly. | At the same hustings, Leadsom told MPs that she was happy to show them a summary if they ask, but she would not immediately follow in the footsteps of her opponents and publish the details publicly. |
| The energy minister, who previously worked in the City, told colleagues at a hustings in parliament that her financial affairs were “very boring”. | The energy minister, who previously worked in the City, told colleagues at a hustings in parliament that her financial affairs were “very boring”. |
| A source close to Leadsom said that the “electorate” that she was campaigning among was the 330 Tory MPs in parliament, who were welcome to see the information. But he argued that she was resisting pressure to provide the details to journalists because she feared the impact it would have on colleagues. | A source close to Leadsom said that the “electorate” that she was campaigning among was the 330 Tory MPs in parliament, who were welcome to see the information. But he argued that she was resisting pressure to provide the details to journalists because she feared the impact it would have on colleagues. |
| “She does not want to put MPs who are not running for the office of prime minister in a position where they feel pressured into disclosing their tax returns as well,” he said. | “She does not want to put MPs who are not running for the office of prime minister in a position where they feel pressured into disclosing their tax returns as well,” he said. |
| However, he insisted that Leadsom had nothing to hide and would publish the details after Thursday’s vote if she made the final two. | However, he insisted that Leadsom had nothing to hide and would publish the details after Thursday’s vote if she made the final two. |
| Supporters of May said she disapproved of tactical voting and wanted to win a proper mandate through an “open, honest, robust debate”. | Supporters of May said she disapproved of tactical voting and wanted to win a proper mandate through an “open, honest, robust debate”. |
| Resisting the calls of some MPs for her to automatically be granted the job given her massive lead among Conservative politicians, the home secretary also urged her supporters not to try to exclude Leadsom on Thursday. “There should be no deals, no tactical voting, and no coronation,” she said. | Resisting the calls of some MPs for her to automatically be granted the job given her massive lead among Conservative politicians, the home secretary also urged her supporters not to try to exclude Leadsom on Thursday. “There should be no deals, no tactical voting, and no coronation,” she said. |
| “I was very grateful to my colleagues for their support on Tuesday, and I welcome the opportunity to set out my vision for this country.” | “I was very grateful to my colleagues for their support on Tuesday, and I welcome the opportunity to set out my vision for this country.” |
| She joked at the hustings about Ken Clarke’s description of her as a “bloody difficult woman”, saying the next person to find that out would be Jean-Claude Juncker, the European commission president. | She joked at the hustings about Ken Clarke’s description of her as a “bloody difficult woman”, saying the next person to find that out would be Jean-Claude Juncker, the European commission president. |
| A senior Conservative figure also called on the party to speed up the process of electing the next leader, warning that the ongoing instability and uncertainty could have “real-life consequences for jobs, livelihoods and the security of families across Britain”. | A senior Conservative figure also called on the party to speed up the process of electing the next leader, warning that the ongoing instability and uncertainty could have “real-life consequences for jobs, livelihoods and the security of families across Britain”. |
| Grant Shapps has written to the party chairman, Andrew Feldman, calling for the party’s board to consider “significantly shortening” the timescale now that the final two candidates will be selected on Thursday, much more quickly than expected. | Grant Shapps has written to the party chairman, Andrew Feldman, calling for the party’s board to consider “significantly shortening” the timescale now that the final two candidates will be selected on Thursday, much more quickly than expected. |
| “We are living through unprecedented times and, unusually, this leadership election is occurring whilst we are in office; meaning that we are electing a prime minister,” he said. “The country desperately needs post-Brexit direction in order to avoid a political vacuum bearing serious consequences for all those we represent.” | “We are living through unprecedented times and, unusually, this leadership election is occurring whilst we are in office; meaning that we are electing a prime minister,” he said. “The country desperately needs post-Brexit direction in order to avoid a political vacuum bearing serious consequences for all those we represent.” |
| Shapps said the original decision to announce the result in September assumed that it would take until recess, later this month, for the party to select a final two, and that holidays in August meant it was right to allow extra time for the competition to close. But he argued there was now enough time for members to consider their options and make a decision by late July. | Shapps said the original decision to announce the result in September assumed that it would take until recess, later this month, for the party to select a final two, and that holidays in August meant it was right to allow extra time for the competition to close. But he argued there was now enough time for members to consider their options and make a decision by late July. |
| He told the Guardian that the “Tory party prides itself of acting in the national interest” and ought to do so now in choosing a prime minister. Shapps has sent his letter to MPs across the house, including those in the Labour party, to garner support for his call. | He told the Guardian that the “Tory party prides itself of acting in the national interest” and ought to do so now in choosing a prime minister. Shapps has sent his letter to MPs across the house, including those in the Labour party, to garner support for his call. |