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Michael Gove to challenge Johnson for Tory leadership Michael Gove to challenge Johnson for Tory leadership
(about 3 hours later)
Michael Gove is to enter the race for the Conservative leadership in a challenge to his old leave campaign rival Boris Johnson, who is the favourite with the party’s membership.Michael Gove is to enter the race for the Conservative leadership in a challenge to his old leave campaign rival Boris Johnson, who is the favourite with the party’s membership.
Gove, the environment secretary, is to pitch himself as a “unity candidate” capable of attracting leavers and remainers as he formally declared his candidacy. The environment secretary said he was to pitch himself as a “unity candidate” capable of attracting leavers and remainers as he formally declared his candidacy.
Johnson has already positioned himself as a hardline Brexiter, saying the UK must leave with or without a deal – three years after he dropped out of the 2016 contest to succeed David Cameron because he lacked support. Johnson has already positioned himself as a hardline Brexiter, saying the UK must leave with or without a deal. He dropped out of the 2016 contest to succeed David Cameron because he lacked support.
He was forced out the race immediately after the EU referendum when Gove turned on him with a withering critique of why the former London mayor would not make a good prime minister.He was forced out the race immediately after the EU referendum when Gove turned on him with a withering critique of why the former London mayor would not make a good prime minister.
Speaking outside his west London home, Gove said: “I can confirm that I will be putting my name forward to be prime minister of this country. I believe that I’m ready to unite the Conservative and Unionist party, ready to deliver Brexit and ready to lead this great country.”Speaking outside his west London home, Gove said: “I can confirm that I will be putting my name forward to be prime minister of this country. I believe that I’m ready to unite the Conservative and Unionist party, ready to deliver Brexit and ready to lead this great country.”
Asked if he thought he could beat Johnson, Gove said: “I’m entering this contest because I want to put forward a positive set of ideas about how we can bring our country together. I believe I’m ready to unite this country and ready to unite the Conservative and Unionist party, and I’m looking forward to a contest of ideas.”Asked if he thought he could beat Johnson, Gove said: “I’m entering this contest because I want to put forward a positive set of ideas about how we can bring our country together. I believe I’m ready to unite this country and ready to unite the Conservative and Unionist party, and I’m looking forward to a contest of ideas.”
Gove is the eighth candidate to enter the race for the Tory leadership after Johnson, Esther McVey, Jeremy Hunt, Dominic Raab, Andrea Leadsom, Matt Hancock and Rory Stewart.Gove is the eighth candidate to enter the race for the Tory leadership after Johnson, Esther McVey, Jeremy Hunt, Dominic Raab, Andrea Leadsom, Matt Hancock and Rory Stewart.
On the leave side, both Raab and Leadsom have set out hardline pledges to match Johnson that the UK must leave with or without a deal at the end of October.On the leave side, both Raab and Leadsom have set out hardline pledges to match Johnson that the UK must leave with or without a deal at the end of October.
Leadsom, who quit the cabinet last week when May opened the door to a second referendum, told the Sunday Times she had the “experience and confidence” to “lead this country into a brighter future”.Leadsom, who quit the cabinet last week when May opened the door to a second referendum, told the Sunday Times she had the “experience and confidence” to “lead this country into a brighter future”.
Raab said: “Over the long-term, both sides will want to build a new partnership. But we must also calmly demonstrate unflinching resolve to leave when the extension to negotiations ends in October – at the latest.” Raab said: “Over the long-term, both sides will want to build a new partnership. But we must also calmly demonstrate unflinching resolve to leave when the extension to negotiations ends in October, at the latest.”
On the more moderate side of the party, Matt Hancock, the health secretary, and Rory Stewart, the international development secretary, are both hoping to look beyond Brexit by persuading the party that elections can only be won on the centre ground with domestic policies.On the more moderate side of the party, Matt Hancock, the health secretary, and Rory Stewart, the international development secretary, are both hoping to look beyond Brexit by persuading the party that elections can only be won on the centre ground with domestic policies.
Jeremy Hunt, the foreign secretary, is thought to have signed up the most MPs, and used an interview with the Sunday Times to talk up his business credentials, arguing that his background as an entrepreneur meant he was “capable of negotiating a deal” with the EU.Jeremy Hunt, the foreign secretary, is thought to have signed up the most MPs, and used an interview with the Sunday Times to talk up his business credentials, arguing that his background as an entrepreneur meant he was “capable of negotiating a deal” with the EU.
Another potential contender is Sajid Javid, the home secretary, who is yet to declare whether he is running. The home secretary, Sajid Javid, is also a potential candidate, but he is yet to declare whether he is running.
'Get Boris!': what the Sunday papers say about the Tory leadership dogfight'Get Boris!': what the Sunday papers say about the Tory leadership dogfight
In a surprise announcement, Liz Truss, the chief secretary to the Treasury, ruled herself out of the race, saying that a Brexiter was need to take the country forward “in order to command public trust”. The chief secretary to the Treasury, Liz Truss, ruled herself out of the race in a surprise announcement, saying that a Brexiter was needed to take the country forward “in order to command public trust”.
With only a short leadership contest before the end of July, there is already a battle under way among some soft Brexit and remainer Tories to stop Johnson and Raab becoming prime minister. Some Conservative MPs have indicated they could not support a hardline Brexiter as prime minister, potentially endangering the majority and ability to govern of any leader pursuing a hard departure from the EU. With only a short leadership contest before the end of July, some soft Brexit and remainer Tories have already begun a campaign to stop Johnson or Raab becoming prime minister. Some have said they could not support a hardline Brexiter as prime minister, potentially endangering the majority and ability to govern of any leader pursuing a hard departure from the EU.
Writing in the Observer, David Gauke, the justice secretary, urged candidates to recognise the “enormously harmful” effects of a no-deal Brexit. Writing in the Observer, the justice secretary, David Gauke, urged candidates to recognise the “enormously harmful” effects of a no-deal Brexit. “All those that do have such aspirations have a responsibility to set out their approach to Brexit, which is anchored in the hard realities of the situation,” he said.
“All those that do have such aspirations have a responsibility to set out their approach to Brexit, which is anchored in the hard realities of the situation,” he said.
“We should not pretend that leaving the European Union without a deal will be anything other than enormously harmful to our economy, weaken our security relationships and threaten the integrity of the union.”“We should not pretend that leaving the European Union without a deal will be anything other than enormously harmful to our economy, weaken our security relationships and threaten the integrity of the union.”
Michael GoveMichael Gove
ConservativesConservatives
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