Boris Johnson hustings: Flustered would-be PM laughs off Tory takedown threat after dodging questions on police incident
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Tory leadership frontrunner Boris Johnson repeatedly refused to answer questions about police being called to his flat as he took part in the first run-off hustings to become the next prime minister.
Police officers were alerted early on Friday to an incident at the home Mr Johnson shares with partner Carrie Symonds, after neighbours said there had been a loud altercation involving screaming, shouting and banging.
Pressed on the incident as he faced an audience of Tory members in Birmingham, Mr Johnson said: “I don’t think they want to hear about that kind of thing.”
When asked by hustings moderator Iain Dale whether a person’s private life has any bearing on someone’s ability to discharge the office of prime minister, the crowd booed and Mr Johnson said: “Don’t boo the great man.”
Mr Johnson added: “I’ve tried to give my answer pretty exhaustively.
“I think what people want to know is whether I have the determination and the courage to deliver on the commitments that I’m making, and it will need a lot of grit right now.
“People are entitled to ask about me and my determination, my character and what I want to do for the country.”
Mr Johnson was taking part in the leadership event with foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt as the two men battle to win the support of 160,000 Tory party members who will choose the next prime minister.
Mr Hunt warned “catastrophe awaits” if the wrong person if sent to Brussels to negotiate Brexit. He said: “If we send the wrong person there’s going to be no negotiation, no trust, no deal, and if Parliament stops that, maybe no Brexit.
“Send the right person and there’s a deal to be done. Send that right person and we can do what we all need to do, which is come back with something positive for our country. And that’s what I want to do.”
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Welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of the Conservative leadership contest’s first run-off hustings event in Birmingham. It comes as frontrunner Boris Johnson deals with questions over his private life after police officers were alerted to an incident at his home in London.
Security minister Ben Wallace has dismissed the police being called out to investigate an altercation at the flat Boris Johnson shares with his partner as a “non-story” and attacked the “lefty neighbours” who alerted them to shouting, creaming and banging.
Here’s our deputy political editor Rob Merrick with all the details.
In case you missed the details of the row at Boris Johnson’s home, a neighbour made a recording of the altercation, on which a man can allegedly be heard saying “get off my f***ing laptop”.
Here’s our political editor Andrew Woodcock with what we know so far.
Former attorney general Dominic Grieve was asked about the incident at the home Boris Johnson shares with his partner. Although he didn’t address the matter directly, Grieve said the issue of character is relevant in the Conservative leadership race.
“I think the issue of any candidate's character, standing for the leadership of a party, and aiming to be a Prime Minister is going to be relevant,” Grieve told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
“And has to be relevant because they are going to be in a position of responsibility where they have to make very important decisions.
“I think one has got to be a bit careful about what aspects of character really matter. But, clearly, things like reliability and honesty are very important things.
“And, I think they matter in one's private and personal life, and also they matter in one's public life. So, people are going to have to weigh that up in respect of either of these two candidates.”
More importantly, Dominic Grieve says Boris Johnson would not “survive very long” if he pursues a no deal Brexit, because fellow Tories will bring him down.
Here’s Rob Merrick with the details.
Jeremy Hunt, the last remaining challenger to Boris Johnson, has penned a letter to his rival urging him to accept debate invitations. “If you want the job, you have to turn up for the interviews,” he says.
The latest survey of Tory party members – the people who matter at this stage – shows Boris Johnson well out in front of challenger Jeremy Hunt. The poll, incidentally, was taken before reports of a domestic row at Johnson’s home.
Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt have agreed to take part in a live debate during the week beginning 15 July, organised by The Sun and to be broadcast on TalkRADIO.
But Hunt says he would be happy to bring it forward – he wants a chance to debate his rival well before the vote closes.
Sadiq Khan has been speaking about his great friend Donald Trump - calling him a “6ft 3 child in the White House”.
It is the latest insult fired between the London mayor and the US president, in what has become a long-running feud. In a room full of teachers at the Together for Education event in Westminster’s Central Hall on Saturday, Khan joked that he had made sure to switch his phone off.
He added: “For those of you that have your phones on, if somebody starts tweeting about me - a 6ft 3 child in the White House - can you let me know?”
The remark prompted laughter and applause from the teachers, the Press Association reports.
Former Liverpool FC and England great John Barnes has compared a second referendum on Brexit to VAR - the video assistant referee that reviews potentially dodgy initial decisions on the football pitch. He’s speaking at a People’s Vote rally in Leeds this lunchtime.
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