David Cameron claims Johnson ‘didn't believe in Brexit’ in blistering new attack on new PM and Gove

Michael Gove’s claim public were tired of experts made him ‘an ambassador for the truth-twisting age of populism’, former PM claims

(AFP/Getty)

David Cameron has launched another blistering attack on Boris Johnson, claiming the prime minister “didn’t believe” in Brexit and only backed the Leave campaign to further his career.

The former Conservative prime minister said his successor privately claimed there could be a “fresh renegotiation, followed by a second referendum” – which he now says he opposes.

In extracts of his long-awaited memoir serialised in The Sunday Times, Mr Cameron also labelled Brexiteer Michael Gove, who was once a close friend, a “foam-flecked Faragist”.

He also accused the leaders of the Leave campaign of declaring “open warfare” on him – and claimed they were guilty of “lying” to the public to win the 2016 referendum.

Ministers in Mr Johnson's cabinet sought to brush off the former PM's barbs, with Brexit secretary Stephen Barclay telling BBC Radio 5 Live's Pienaar's Politics: "When there’s a book to sell there’s always excerpts that come from it."

Told that Mr Cameron had said he would have sacked her if he had not feared creating a "Brexit martyr", home secretary Priti Patel told BBC1's Andrew Marr Show it was a "privilege" to have worked in his government and there was "no point going over the past".

Mr Cameron wrote that Mr Johnson wanted to become the “darling of the party” and “didn’t want to risk allowing someone else with a high profile – Michael Gove in particular – to win that crown”.

He added: “The conclusion I am left with is that he risked an outcome he didn’t believe in because it would help his political career.”

On Mr Gove, the former PM said: “One quality shone through: disloyalty. Disloyalty to me and, later, disloyalty to Boris.”

The former environment minister’s claim that the public were tired of experts made him “an ambassador for the truth-twisting age of populism”, he said.

“By the end, Boris and Michael seemed to me to be different people. Boris had backed something he didn’t believe in,” he added.

“Michael had backed something he did perhaps believe in, but in the process had broken with his friends ... while taking up positions that were completely against his political identity. Both then behaved appallingly, attacking their own government, turning a blind eye to their side’s unpleasant actions and becoming ambassadors for the expert-trashing, truth-twisting age of populism.”

Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson said she cannot forgive Mr Cameron for calling the 2016 EU referendum.

Speaking at her party's Bournemouth conference, Ms Swinson said: "No, I don't forgive David Cameron for calling the referendum.

"I think so much of the problems we are facing right now stem from David Cameron's shocking misjudgment in putting the interests of the Conservative Party in front of the national interest."

Press Association