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| Late-night row will hang over Boris Johnson, whether or not he wins | Late-night row will hang over Boris Johnson, whether or not he wins |
| (3 months later) | |
| Boris Johnson may yet win the Conservative leadership race, but questions surrounding the explosive late-night row with his partner will hang over the contest and into his premiership if he makes it to No 10. | Boris Johnson may yet win the Conservative leadership race, but questions surrounding the explosive late-night row with his partner will hang over the contest and into his premiership if he makes it to No 10. |
| The former foreign secretary made it through the initial rounds of MP voting without tripping up or exposing himself to embarrassment, with his team keeping him out of the limelight as far as possible. | The former foreign secretary made it through the initial rounds of MP voting without tripping up or exposing himself to embarrassment, with his team keeping him out of the limelight as far as possible. |
| The row, however, during which neighbours called the police and recorded his partner, Carrie Symonds, shouting at him to “get off me” and “get out of my flat”, has brought his complicated personal life crashing back into the foreground again. | The row, however, during which neighbours called the police and recorded his partner, Carrie Symonds, shouting at him to “get off me” and “get out of my flat”, has brought his complicated personal life crashing back into the foreground again. |
| His opponent and successor as foreign secretary, Jeremy Hunt, has wasted no time in capitalising on Johnson’s troubles. He said Johnson needed to be prepared to answer difficult questions, while allies told the Sunday Times that Johnson’s escapades made him a security risk and vulnerable to blackmail by foreign powers. | His opponent and successor as foreign secretary, Jeremy Hunt, has wasted no time in capitalising on Johnson’s troubles. He said Johnson needed to be prepared to answer difficult questions, while allies told the Sunday Times that Johnson’s escapades made him a security risk and vulnerable to blackmail by foreign powers. |
| Liam Fox, a Brexiter who backs Hunt, also called on Johnson to do more than bat away questions about the incident. It is “always easier to give an explanation, then we can discuss the policies”, he said. | Liam Fox, a Brexiter who backs Hunt, also called on Johnson to do more than bat away questions about the incident. It is “always easier to give an explanation, then we can discuss the policies”, he said. |
| Tory MPs who backed Johnson are not yet at the point of buyer’s remorse, but some who supported him reluctantly are concerned that skeletons may also emerge from the closet as he gets closer to No 10. | Tory MPs who backed Johnson are not yet at the point of buyer’s remorse, but some who supported him reluctantly are concerned that skeletons may also emerge from the closet as he gets closer to No 10. |
| The conventional wisdom about Johnson is that he is untouchable where revelations about his personal life are concerned, given that he has bounced back after lying to his party leader about an affair, fathering a child outside his second marriage during another affair, and leaving his wife for Symonds, a former Conservative head of press. | The conventional wisdom about Johnson is that he is untouchable where revelations about his personal life are concerned, given that he has bounced back after lying to his party leader about an affair, fathering a child outside his second marriage during another affair, and leaving his wife for Symonds, a former Conservative head of press. |
| This latest episode, however, may have increased uneasiness about the prospects of a Johnson premiership within the Conservative party, whose 160,000 members will pick between the ardent Brexit campaigner and a David Cameron-style politician who is a former remainer. | This latest episode, however, may have increased uneasiness about the prospects of a Johnson premiership within the Conservative party, whose 160,000 members will pick between the ardent Brexit campaigner and a David Cameron-style politician who is a former remainer. |
| A poll for the Mail on Sunday found Johnson’s 27-point lead had been slashed to 11 when Tory voters were asked who would make the best prime minister, while Hunt took a small lead with the wider general public. | A poll for the Mail on Sunday found Johnson’s 27-point lead had been slashed to 11 when Tory voters were asked who would make the best prime minister, while Hunt took a small lead with the wider general public. |
| Other surveys suggest Johnson’s lead among Tory members is untouched, however. A Telegraph poll of the party’s councillors shows he is still the clear favourite with 61% behind him. | Other surveys suggest Johnson’s lead among Tory members is untouched, however. A Telegraph poll of the party’s councillors shows he is still the clear favourite with 61% behind him. |
| Johnson’s supporters have sought to paint the row as a lovers’ tiff and attacked the neighbours who recorded the incident as “lefties” and “remainers” trying to bring him down. | Johnson’s supporters have sought to paint the row as a lovers’ tiff and attacked the neighbours who recorded the incident as “lefties” and “remainers” trying to bring him down. |
| They are hoping that the issue will fade away as the contest goes on, but there is little chance of that, because the opposition is unlikely to let it rest. | They are hoping that the issue will fade away as the contest goes on, but there is little chance of that, because the opposition is unlikely to let it rest. |
| Jess Phillips, the Labour MP and women’s rights campaigner, said she was hoping to raise it in parliament on Monday. She also condemned the “dangerous” reaction of those who suggested the altercation, which could be heard in the street and surrounding flats, was a private matter and should not be reported or made public. | Jess Phillips, the Labour MP and women’s rights campaigner, said she was hoping to raise it in parliament on Monday. She also condemned the “dangerous” reaction of those who suggested the altercation, which could be heard in the street and surrounding flats, was a private matter and should not be reported or made public. |
| The furore has also cheered the mood in Hunt’s campaign and emboldened some of Johnson’s critics in the party on issues other than his character, as they sense their opponent is down. | The furore has also cheered the mood in Hunt’s campaign and emboldened some of Johnson’s critics in the party on issues other than his character, as they sense their opponent is down. |
| It is a long shot for Hunt to overturn Johnson’s lead among Conservative members, and the latter remains the overwhelming favourite with bookmakers. Some MPs who back Hunt, however, believe a month is enough to highlight his opponent’s flaws and diminish his sense of confidence in winning. | It is a long shot for Hunt to overturn Johnson’s lead among Conservative members, and the latter remains the overwhelming favourite with bookmakers. Some MPs who back Hunt, however, believe a month is enough to highlight his opponent’s flaws and diminish his sense of confidence in winning. |
| Two cabinet ministers, David Lidington and David Gauke, issued stinging rebuttals of Johnson’s Brexit policy as outlined at the members’ hustings, pointing out that the EU would reject his suggestion of ditching the withdrawal agreement, leaving without a deal and negotiating a trade agreement in the implementation period. | Two cabinet ministers, David Lidington and David Gauke, issued stinging rebuttals of Johnson’s Brexit policy as outlined at the members’ hustings, pointing out that the EU would reject his suggestion of ditching the withdrawal agreement, leaving without a deal and negotiating a trade agreement in the implementation period. |
| Gauke tweeted three unicorn emojis and said such a strategy was not credible. | Gauke tweeted three unicorn emojis and said such a strategy was not credible. |
| The former leadership contender Rory Stewart said: “David Lidington understands the European negotiations better than almost anyone in our cabinet. As he says, in a no-deal there will be no implementation period. You cannot eat the cake and keep the cake.” | The former leadership contender Rory Stewart said: “David Lidington understands the European negotiations better than almost anyone in our cabinet. As he says, in a no-deal there will be no implementation period. You cannot eat the cake and keep the cake.” |
| Jackie Doyle-Price, a health minister, raised concerns that Johnson was raising expectations about leaving by 31 October “which if dashed will destroy the Conservative party”. | Jackie Doyle-Price, a health minister, raised concerns that Johnson was raising expectations about leaving by 31 October “which if dashed will destroy the Conservative party”. |
| Johnson also faces pressure from the other side, his Eurosceptic support base in parliament which wants to ensure the UK comes out of the EU come what may on 31 October. His hesitant response at Saturday’s hustings that it is “eminently feasible” and “of course we can do it” has caused severe jitters among the hardline Brexiters. | Johnson also faces pressure from the other side, his Eurosceptic support base in parliament which wants to ensure the UK comes out of the EU come what may on 31 October. His hesitant response at Saturday’s hustings that it is “eminently feasible” and “of course we can do it” has caused severe jitters among the hardline Brexiters. |
| This will be a contest, not a coronation, if Jeremy Hunt questions Boris Johnson’s character | Andrew Rawnsley | This will be a contest, not a coronation, if Jeremy Hunt questions Boris Johnson’s character | Andrew Rawnsley |
| He is also coming under attack over his reluctance to be interviewed. Gauke has again led the charge, saying Hunt’s call for debates before ballot papers are sent out is entirely reasonable. | He is also coming under attack over his reluctance to be interviewed. Gauke has again led the charge, saying Hunt’s call for debates before ballot papers are sent out is entirely reasonable. |
| “There should be TV debates before the ballot papers are sent out. Some in-depth broadcast interviews are also a must. Party leaders don’t get to hide away during a general election, they shouldn’t now,” he said. Hunt challenged Johnson this weekend to take part in more televised debates, saying, “if you want the job, you have to turn up for the interviews”. | “There should be TV debates before the ballot papers are sent out. Some in-depth broadcast interviews are also a must. Party leaders don’t get to hide away during a general election, they shouldn’t now,” he said. Hunt challenged Johnson this weekend to take part in more televised debates, saying, “if you want the job, you have to turn up for the interviews”. |
| The “submarine” strategy of disappearing from public view unless strictly required is beloved by Johnson’s unofficial adviser and election guru Lynton Crosby, and is exactly what the campaign intends to continue over the coming weeks to avoid what they call “unnecessary risks”. | The “submarine” strategy of disappearing from public view unless strictly required is beloved by Johnson’s unofficial adviser and election guru Lynton Crosby, and is exactly what the campaign intends to continue over the coming weeks to avoid what they call “unnecessary risks”. |
| One Tory adviser who has worked with Johnson in the past also questioned whether Crosby would suggest his “dead cat” technique, where a candidate tries to avoid focus on a negative issue by causing a big stir about something else. “It would have to be more of a dead mammoth to take attention away from this though,” he said. | One Tory adviser who has worked with Johnson in the past also questioned whether Crosby would suggest his “dead cat” technique, where a candidate tries to avoid focus on a negative issue by causing a big stir about something else. “It would have to be more of a dead mammoth to take attention away from this though,” he said. |
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