Coke-shame Gove snorts at rival Boris
MICHAEL Gove took aim at Tory leadership rival Boris Johnson yesterday in a desperate bid to keep his campaign afloat following his cocaine shame.
Senior Conservatives had urged the Environment Secretary to step down in the wake of his confession to past drug abuse.
But launching his campaign yesterday, the Brexiteer took a swipe at his former Leave comrade as he insisted he was in it “to win it”.
He also goaded
Mr Johnson over his decision to quit the last contest.
To titters from the audience, he said: “If I get through, which I’m sure I will actually, to the final two against Mr Johnson this is what I will say to him. Mr Johnson, whatever you do, don’t pull out”.
He added: “I know you have before and I know you may not believe in your heart that you can do it but the Conservative Party membership deserve a choice’.”
He was later forced to deny his “don’t pull out” comment was also a dig at Mr Johnson’s history of extra-marital affairs. The former Foreign Secretary, who has 53 declared supporters, is regarded as the favourite to take over from Theresa May. Meanwhile, leadership hopeful Rory Stewart said the “reckless” cost of his rivals’ promises on tax and spending risked undermining the Tory Party’s reputation for economic prudence. Dominic Raab has pledged £38.2billion of tax cuts while Mr Gove’s vow to replace VAT with a lower, simpler sales tax is put at £20billion. Mr Johnson’s plan to raise the 40% tax threshold is expected to cost £14.1billion and Jeremy Hunt’s promise to cut corporation tax to 12.5% was put at £11billion. International Development Secretary Mr Stewart said: “We must restore our reputation for economic and fiscal prudence. We cannot make spending and tax cut promises we can’t keep. “We cannot criticise Jeremy Corbyn for reckless spending pledges if we start doing the same ourselves. Cheap electoral bribes could cost us dear.”