Boris Johnson under pressure to explain domestic ‘row’

BORIS Johnson, the strong favourite to become Britain’s next prime minister, came under pressure from figures in his own party on Sunday to explain reports of a domestic “row” row that led to a police visit.

Although st i l l heav ily backed to beat Jeremy Hunt to become Conser vative

Part y leader, and t herefore prime minister, a snap poll published i n the Mail on Sunday suggested t hat t he incident had cut his support.

The Guardian reported that police were alerted early on Friday after a neighbour heard a loud a l t e rc a t i on i n v o l v i n g s c r e a m s , shouts and bangs at the south London property, shortly after Johnson (pictured, AFP) had secured his place in the final run-off to become prime minister.

The paper said Johnson’s partner Carrie Symonds could be heard telling the former London mayor to “get off me” and “get out of my flat”.

The former foreign minister ref used to answer questions about the incident on t he first day of the month-long contest to win over Conser vative grassroot members, say ing “I don’t think people want to hear about t hat k ind of t hing”. He ins t e a d t ried to focus on his policies, saying “we need to get Brex it done” and p r o m i s i n g to prepare Britain for a no-deal ex it from the EU, if a deal cannot be reached.

‘Lack of discipline’

Johnson’s leadership leadersh riva l Hunt told Sk y News on Sunday t hat “someone who wants wan to be prime minister should ans answer questions on ever y t hing”.

Trade minister Lia Liam Fox – who is backing Hunt for leader – told BBC1’s The Andrew Marr Show: “I think it is always easier ea to just give an explanation.”

Former Tory foreign office minister Alan Duncan – ano another Hunt supporter – told the Guardian Gua newspaper his former boss now had a “big question mark over h his head”. Johnson had shown a “lac “lack of discipline” throughout his caree career, he added.

According to the Survation poll in the Mail on Sunday, Sund Hunt is now the preferred candidate candid to become prime minister among amon voters for all parties, as Johnson saw s a seven-per cent decline in suppo support.

His lead over Hunt Hu with Conser vative voters had been slashed from 27 per cent to nine per cent since Friday, t he poll suggested.

But only the Conservative Party’s 160,000 members get to choose between Johnson and Hunt. And their support for Johnson appeared undimmed on Saturday, at the first of a series of “hustings” – internal party debates to decide the new leader.

The Conser vative members in t he centra l English cit y of Birmingham gave Johnson a standing ovation, and loudly heck led interv iewer Iain Dale as he quizzed the former London mayor over Friday’s domestic incident.

Bannon claims

“Stuff happens at home all the time … someone spills the wine, we can’t really be making headlines out of that,” said supporter Hasnain Ahmed, 23.

“What’s important is what’s this guy going to be delivering for you in Brexit.”

With Sunday marking the threeyear anniversary of the vote to leave the EU, the issue still dominates British politics.

Hunt also received a warm reception, promising that if he couldn’t strike a Brexit deal with the EU, “then I will leave without a deal”.

“I was probably leaning towards Boris but I was very impressed with what Jeremy Hunt said today,” Tory councillor Karen Shakespeare said.

“He surprised me with his directness and honesty so I have to say I am now leaning very heavily towards Jeremy Hunt.”

Johnson also came under scrutiny on Sunday for his relationship with Steve Bannon, the controversia l former adv iser to US President Donald Trump.

Footage published by the Observer showed Bannon claiming that he had helped craft Johnson’s resignation speech as foreign minister last year.

The pair got to know each other when both were in office, and were reported to have met again in an unofficial capacity last summer.

Johnson said at t he time t hat “t he so-ca lled relationship” wit h Bannon was a “left y delusion” and his office dismissed t he latest claims of a working relationship as “tota lly preposterous to t he point of a conspiracy”.