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| Tory leadership: Boost for Boris Johnson as Gove tones down his criticism of his candidature - live news | Tory leadership: Boost for Boris Johnson as Gove tones down his criticism of his candidature - live news |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Here are some more excerpts from the Michael Gove interview with John Humphrys on the Today programme. | |
| Gove, the environment secretary and leadership candidate, rejected suggestions that Boris Johnson was anti-business, saying Johnson’s “fuck business” comment had been taken out of context. Asked about it, Gove said: | |
| I think those words were taken out of context ... I think that, in context, someone was trying to suggest that because a particular business organisation took a particular view, that Boris was wrong. Actually, as we know, in some of the big questions that this country has faced, business has had a wide spectrum of views. | |
| I think, to be fair to London, he was emphatically pro-enterprise, and he supported financial services, and he made sure there was investment in infrastructure and in the support that our financial services, and that our other businesses, needed in our capital. | |
| He dismissed suggestions that there were any moral grounds for rejecting Johnson as a candidate for PM. When it was put to him that moral probity might be a problem for Johson, Gove replied: | |
| I would dismiss that altogether ... Moral probity does matter. But I think that all of the candidates who are standing to be leader, in my view, are capable of being prime minister. | |
| I personally think that Boris and all the other candidates are people who on every ground have what it takes to be a potentially good prime minister. | |
| Later Humphrys returned to the theme, referring to Johnson’s history of telling lies and his incompetence as foreign secretary. Was Gove concerned about these issues? Gove replied: | |
| If you want to put those questions direct to Boris himself, I know that he will answer them. But let me defend him ... I will happily defend Boris on this. There have been various attempts to to mount personal attacks against him and against some other candidates. I think that is wrong. Look, in the past, I have had my criticisms and differences with Boris. But I believe he is somebody who is capable of being prime minister. | |
| But the key question is - who do we believe is the person with the best record in office, and the clearest vision for the future. | |
| When pressed again, Gove said he did not share the doubts Humphrys had raised about Johnson. | |
| How important is morality in a new PM?Tory candidate @michaelgove says "all of the candidates who are standing are capable of being the PM" #r4today https://t.co/02LfvZXERj pic.twitter.com/Rqw3eRzgam | |
| Gove said he did not want to criticise any of the other candidates because they all needed to work together. He said: | |
| I am not going to criticise other candidates because, in essence, we are all on the same time. I might play for Manchester City, you might play for Manchester United, we might have friendly rivalry, but when we are playing for our country together, we have got to make sure that we unite in order to do best for our country. | |
| Gove highlighted one difference between himself and Johnson, saying that if he was close to getting a Brexit deal at the end of October, he would be willing to delay Brexit again to get it over the line. Johnson says he will leave the EU by 31 October come what may. But Gove argued that this approach could lead to MPs triggering a general election, which would put Jeremy Corbyn in Downing Street by Christmas. | |
| And here is some comment on the interview. | |
| The Mail on Sunday’s Dan Hodges said he wrote up then new Gove approach in his column. | |
| Like I wrote on Sunday, Michael Gove has admitted to friends it was a mistake to attack Boris so directly in his launch last Monday. That's why he's repeatedly passing up the opportunity to criticise him here. | |
| My colleague Peter Walker has an alternative theory for Gove’s stance. | |
| On R4 Michael Gove's half-spoken Tory leadership pitch seems to be, 'Make sure I'm in the final two just in case, as we'll need a safe pair of hands in No 10 if/when Boris implodes in a few weeks.' | |
| This is from my former Guardian colleague Jane Martinson. | |
| Michael Gove is using his #r4today iview to pitch for a job in the Boris cabinet | |
| This is from the BBC’s Emma Barnett. | |
| Michael Gove on #r4today is trying hard to remain positive about all rivals and Theresa May. Might be an error not to land blows about others’ credibility - but he probably doesn’t wish to revive allegations of him being a backstabber. A clean campaign may not be a successful one | |
| And this is from the BBC’s Rachel Byrne. | |
| “To be fair to Boris...” Gove @BBCr4today is that a new I-agree-with-Nick catchphrase? | |
| The Scottish Conservative MP Paul Masterton, who Matt Hancock for the leadership last week, has said that he will now be voting for Rory Stewart. Masterton explained: | The Scottish Conservative MP Paul Masterton, who Matt Hancock for the leadership last week, has said that he will now be voting for Rory Stewart. Masterton explained: |
| With Matt out, I’m still looking for the same things: energy, intelligence and enthusiasm with a clear vision for delivering Brexit and for the country beyond it. | With Matt out, I’m still looking for the same things: energy, intelligence and enthusiasm with a clear vision for delivering Brexit and for the country beyond it. |
| Someone who really gets the Union, with ideas to strengthen and secure it. | Someone who really gets the Union, with ideas to strengthen and secure it. |
| Stewart got just 19 votes in the ballot of MPs last week, making him last of all the candidates left in the race. To avoid being eliminated in the next vote, on Tuesday, he will need not just to avoid coming last, but to get at least 33 votes (because candidates who do not hit this threshold will fall out, as well as the one who comes last). | Stewart got just 19 votes in the ballot of MPs last week, making him last of all the candidates left in the race. To avoid being eliminated in the next vote, on Tuesday, he will need not just to avoid coming last, but to get at least 33 votes (because candidates who do not hit this threshold will fall out, as well as the one who comes last). |
| It is a good morning for Boris Johnson. We have seen two developments that should firm up his chances of becoming the next prime minister; or perhaps more accurately, two developments that suggest that his rivals have given up hope of beating him. | It is a good morning for Boris Johnson. We have seen two developments that should firm up his chances of becoming the next prime minister; or perhaps more accurately, two developments that suggest that his rivals have given up hope of beating him. |
| First, Matt Hancock, the health secretary who withdraw from the contest on Friday, has announced that he is backing Johnson. He explains why in an article in the Times (paywall). Here is an extract from his article: | First, Matt Hancock, the health secretary who withdraw from the contest on Friday, has announced that he is backing Johnson. He explains why in an article in the Times (paywall). Here is an extract from his article: |
| I said when I withdrew from the contest that I’d consider the best way to advance those values. I’ve now spoken to all the candidates. They are all inspirational people, with many and varied strengths, and I would be proud to serve any of them as my prime minister. I have reflected on what is needed in the national interest, and how the approaches of the candidates fit with my values. Having considered all the options, I’m backing Boris Johnson as the best candidate to unite the Conservative party, so we can deliver Brexit and then unite the country behind an open, ambitious, forward-looking agenda, delivered with the energy that gets stuff done. | I said when I withdrew from the contest that I’d consider the best way to advance those values. I’ve now spoken to all the candidates. They are all inspirational people, with many and varied strengths, and I would be proud to serve any of them as my prime minister. I have reflected on what is needed in the national interest, and how the approaches of the candidates fit with my values. Having considered all the options, I’m backing Boris Johnson as the best candidate to unite the Conservative party, so we can deliver Brexit and then unite the country behind an open, ambitious, forward-looking agenda, delivered with the energy that gets stuff done. |
| Boris has run a disciplined campaign and is almost certainly going to be our next prime minister. We need to unite behind him with a strong team that can bring the party together and then bring the country together. After any debate like this, people need to put aside their differences for a greater purpose. My view is that we need to start coming together sooner rather than later. | Boris has run a disciplined campaign and is almost certainly going to be our next prime minister. We need to unite behind him with a strong team that can bring the party together and then bring the country together. After any debate like this, people need to put aside their differences for a greater purpose. My view is that we need to start coming together sooner rather than later. |
| Second, and perhaps more surprisingly, Michael Gove, who is still in the contest and who hopes to make it into the final two for the ballot of party members alongside Johnson, has dialled down his criticism of the former foreign secretary. A week ago, at his campaign launch, Gove went for Johnson quite aggressively, condemning his proposed tax cut for the wealthy, implicitly questioning his seriousness and his commitment to Brexit, and at one point even appearing to make a joke about his sexual promiscuity (although he denied this was the intention, so perhaps it was just a case of us reporters thinking dirty). | Second, and perhaps more surprisingly, Michael Gove, who is still in the contest and who hopes to make it into the final two for the ballot of party members alongside Johnson, has dialled down his criticism of the former foreign secretary. A week ago, at his campaign launch, Gove went for Johnson quite aggressively, condemning his proposed tax cut for the wealthy, implicitly questioning his seriousness and his commitment to Brexit, and at one point even appearing to make a joke about his sexual promiscuity (although he denied this was the intention, so perhaps it was just a case of us reporters thinking dirty). |
| But this morning, in an interview on the Today programme, ‘Gove, the Johnson slayer’ had disappeared. Instead we heard a Gove who spent half the interview robustly defending his rival (much more convincingly, by the way, than James Cleverly, the Johnson supporter who was on the programme earlier speaking as a Team Johnson representative.) Gove rejected the idea that Johnson was anti-business (the “fuck business” was taken out of context, Gove insisted) and he refused to accept that there were any moral reasons why Johnson was not suited to be prime minister. He even at one stage seemed to imply that Johnson was bound to win and that the only reason he (Gove) should be on the ballot for party members was to ensure that Johnson got stretched a bit before his inevitable victory. Gove said: | But this morning, in an interview on the Today programme, ‘Gove, the Johnson slayer’ had disappeared. Instead we heard a Gove who spent half the interview robustly defending his rival (much more convincingly, by the way, than James Cleverly, the Johnson supporter who was on the programme earlier speaking as a Team Johnson representative.) Gove rejected the idea that Johnson was anti-business (the “fuck business” was taken out of context, Gove insisted) and he refused to accept that there were any moral reasons why Johnson was not suited to be prime minister. He even at one stage seemed to imply that Johnson was bound to win and that the only reason he (Gove) should be on the ballot for party members was to ensure that Johnson got stretched a bit before his inevitable victory. Gove said: |
| At the moment, yes, of course it is the case that Boris is the front-runner. | At the moment, yes, of course it is the case that Boris is the front-runner. |
| But we need to make sure that he is tested and that we have two candidates who go forward - if Boris is one of them - who we know are capable of being prime minister from day one. | But we need to make sure that he is tested and that we have two candidates who go forward - if Boris is one of them - who we know are capable of being prime minister from day one. |
| I will post more from the interview shortly. | I will post more from the interview shortly. |
| Here is the agenda for the day. | Here is the agenda for the day. |
| 10.30am: Tom Watson, the deputy Labour leader, gives a speech on Brexit. As Heather Stewart reports, he will say Labour should be at the forefront of the campaign to stop Brexit. | 10.30am: Tom Watson, the deputy Labour leader, gives a speech on Brexit. As Heather Stewart reports, he will say Labour should be at the forefront of the campaign to stop Brexit. |
| 11am: All the Tory leadership candidates except Boris Johnson are due to take questions from press gallery journalists at Westminster. It is being described as a hustings, but effectively it is a series of on-the-record, but off-camera press conferences. These are from Christopher Hope, the Telegraph’s chief pol0itical correspondent who has organised the event in his capacity as chairman of the lobby. | 11am: All the Tory leadership candidates except Boris Johnson are due to take questions from press gallery journalists at Westminster. It is being described as a hustings, but effectively it is a series of on-the-record, but off-camera press conferences. These are from Christopher Hope, the Telegraph’s chief pol0itical correspondent who has organised the event in his capacity as chairman of the lobby. |
| This morning it is the Conservative candidates’ turn to face a grilling from 100 political journalists at the #LobbyHustings. Five have said yes; Boris Johnson is yet to agree. It starts at 11.10am. Each candidate gets 20 mins - they can make a statement and then face questions | This morning it is the Conservative candidates’ turn to face a grilling from 100 political journalists at the #LobbyHustings. Five have said yes; Boris Johnson is yet to agree. It starts at 11.10am. Each candidate gets 20 mins - they can make a statement and then face questions |
| Here is the running order:11.10am - 11.30am: Rory Stewart11.30am - 11.50am: Sajid Javid11.50am - 12.10pm: Jeremy Hunt12.10pm - 12.30pm: Dominic Raab12.50pm - 1.10pm: Michael Gove12.30pm - 12.50pm and 1.10pm - 1.30pm are still free for Boris Johnson. #LobbyHustings | Here is the running order:11.10am - 11.30am: Rory Stewart11.30am - 11.50am: Sajid Javid11.50am - 12.10pm: Jeremy Hunt12.10pm - 12.30pm: Dominic Raab12.50pm - 1.10pm: Michael Gove12.30pm - 12.50pm and 1.10pm - 1.30pm are still free for Boris Johnson. #LobbyHustings |
| 2pm: Philip Hammond, the chancellor, holds a press conference with his Chinese counterpart, the vice-premier Hu Chunhua, after talks in London. | 2pm: Philip Hammond, the chancellor, holds a press conference with his Chinese counterpart, the vice-premier Hu Chunhua, after talks in London. |
| 3pm: The Conservative 1922 Committee holds a private leadership hustings for Tory MPs. | 3pm: The Conservative 1922 Committee holds a private leadership hustings for Tory MPs. |
| As usual, I will be covering breaking political news as it happens, as well as bringing you the best reaction, comment and analysis from the web, although I will be focusing mostly on the Tory leadership contest. I plan to post a summary when I wrap up at the end of the day. | As usual, I will be covering breaking political news as it happens, as well as bringing you the best reaction, comment and analysis from the web, although I will be focusing mostly on the Tory leadership contest. I plan to post a summary when I wrap up at the end of the day. |
| You can read all the latest Guardian politics articles here. Here is the Politico Europe round-up of this morning’s political news. And here is the PoliticsHome list of today’s top 10 must-reads. | You can read all the latest Guardian politics articles here. Here is the Politico Europe round-up of this morning’s political news. And here is the PoliticsHome list of today’s top 10 must-reads. |
| If you want to follow me or contact me on Twitter, I’m on @AndrewSparrow. | If you want to follow me or contact me on Twitter, I’m on @AndrewSparrow. |
| I try to monitor the comments below the line (BTL) but it is impossible to read them all. If you have a direct question, do include “Andrew” in it somewhere and I’m more likely to find it. I do try to answer questions, and if they are of general interest, I will post the question and reply above the line (ATL), although I can’t promise to do this for everyone. | I try to monitor the comments below the line (BTL) but it is impossible to read them all. If you have a direct question, do include “Andrew” in it somewhere and I’m more likely to find it. I do try to answer questions, and if they are of general interest, I will post the question and reply above the line (ATL), although I can’t promise to do this for everyone. |
| If you want to attract my attention quickly, it is probably better to use Twitter. | If you want to attract my attention quickly, it is probably better to use Twitter. |