Boris never had heart and soul in Brexit, says Gove
His damning verdict
‘I’ve had a chance to see how Boris dealt with decisions needed to take this country forward. I’d hoped he’d rise to the occasion. Boris has formidable qualities but I saw him [fail] the test. I thought, ultimately, can I recommend this person to be PM?
MICHaEl Gove delivered an excoriating assessment of Boris Johnson yesterday, suggesting he had never really believed ‘heart and soul’ in leaving the Eu.
Presenting himself as the true Brexiteer, Mr Gove said the former london mayor was unfit to be Prime Minister because he did not have the necessary experience or leadership abilities.
He said Mr Johnson simply could not provide ‘unity’ or build the team required to take the country forward.
But he was forced to deny being guilty of ‘enormous political treachery’ after he withdrew his support for Mr Johnson’s leadership bid at the last minute.
Instead, the Justice Secretary insisted he had ‘reluctantly’ come to the conclusion that he should run himself, after friends had told him he was ‘better equipped’ to deliver a post-Brexit agenda.
last night Mr Gove unveiled a string of backers, including Education Secretary nicky Morgan, who had been seen as a contender in her own right.
He also attracted the support of his own justice minister Dominic Raab – who only yesterday had written a newspaper article in support of Mr Johnson – culture minister Ed Vaizey and pensions minister Shailesh Vara.
It came as allies of another Tory leadership candidate, andrea leadsom, claimed she had asked Mr Johnson point-blank on Wednesday night whether Britain would definitely leave the Eu under his premiership – and he refused to say.
Despite claiming on several past occasions that he never wanted to be prime minister, Mr Gove made his move in ruthless fashion yesterday, shocking Westminster and spectacularly sinking Mr Johnson’s leadership hopes.
In a revealing interview with the BBC, the Justice Secretary said he had always done ‘what I believed to be right’, but admitted: ‘Sometimes that’s been at the cost of friendships.’ Even though Mr Johnson had offered him the post of Chancellor should he win, Mr Gove said he ‘reluctantly but firmly’ came to the conclusion that ‘I should stand and Boris should stand aside’.
He claimed that until late on Wednesday night, ‘the last thing on my mind was me running’.
But Mr Gove added: ‘I felt we needed someone to lead this country who believed heart and soul in leaving the European union.
‘I also believed we needed someone who would be able to build a team, lead and unite. I hoped that person would be Boris Johnson.
‘I’d enjoyed working with Boris during the referendum campaign. He’s a man of great attributes and great qualities. I came in the last few days reluctantly and firmly to the conclusion that while Boris has great attributes, he was not capable of uniting that team and leading the party and the country in the way that I would have hoped.’
Mr Johnson was a late convert to the Brexit cause, only deciding in February to campaign against David Cameron and the Remain side. Many believed his anti-Eu credentials were more about positioning himself for a future Tory leadership battle than his views on Brussels.
Some feared a Boris premiership would lead to Britain remaining in the single market and having to continue allowing free movement of Eu workers.
Mr Gove said that as he had been both Education Secretary and Justice Secretary, he had ‘experience of taking tough decisions in office’. Mr Johnson has never had a government job – although he was mayor of london for eight years. Mr Gove added: ‘People in business, people in politics, people from outside the Conservative Party have been pressing me to run.’
He said his mission would be to bring down immigration through the implementation of an australian-style points system.
‘I will do everything that is required in order to bring immigration down to a level that is manageable, that the public believe is right,’ he continued. ‘In order to be able to reduce migration we need to be outside the European union.
‘I’ll negotiate with toughness, and with great attention to detail to get the best possible deal for Britain.’
asked whether he would offer Mr Johnson a job in his Cabinet, he replied: ‘We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.’