Boris Johnson's Tory leadership ruling out statement: full text

Surprise announcement comes after Michael Goves rules himself out of race

Boris Johnson will not stand for Conservative leader, he has announced.

In a surprise announcement, the former Mayor of London said he would “support” the next Tory leader but that it would “not be me”.

Mr Johnson gathered the media for a speech at a central London location for what was expected to be his campaign launch.

Read his speech in full below:

"That is the agenda for the next prime minister of this country.

"Well, I must tell you, my friends, you who have waited faithfully for the punchline of this speech, that having consulted colleagues and in view of the circumstances in parliament, I have concluded that person cannot be me.

"My role will be to give every possible support to the next Conservative administration to make sure that we properly fulfil the mandate of the people that was delivered at the referendum and to champion the agenda that I believe in, to stick up for the forgotten people of this country.

"And, if we do so, if we invest in our children and improve their life chances, if we continue to fuel the engines of social mobility, if we build on the great reforming legacy of David Cameron, if we invest in our infrastructure and we follow a sensible, one nation Conservative approach that is simultaneously tax-cutting and pro-enterprise, then I believe that this country can win and be better and more wonderful and, yes, greater than ever before."