‘I dodged a bullet’: Jeremy Hunt says he’s relieved he didn’t become prime minister

‘Poor Boris’ has had tough year because of pandemic, says former leadership rival

Boris Johnson’s former Conservative leadership rival Jeremy Hunt said he “dodged a bullet” by losing out in the final contest to become prime minister last year.

The influential Tory MP shared his sense of relief that Mr Johnson won the battle to replace Theresa May at No 10, given the scale of the coronavirus crisis.

“I certainly dodged a bullet, there’s no question, when you look at the year that poor Boris has had,” Mr Hunt said when asked if he was relieved not to have the top job on Sky News.

“It’s been a very tough year for anyone who is prime minister, to deal with a pandemic [that is] completely unprecedented.”

He told host Kay Burley: “I would loved to have done the job, but I recognise that Boris Johnson did something very important, which is that he got a 80 seat majority for the Conservatives.”

The Tory MP added: “Whether or not you love or loathe the Conservatives, we do now have political stability. And with all the problems we faced in the period prior to that with the hung parliament, I don’t think anyone would have wanted to have that kind of instability in the challenges we currently face.”

Mr Hunt, now chair of the Commons’ health and social care select committee, was asked why he turned down a chance to be in Mr Johnson’s Cabinet.

“He did very kindly offer me a job in his Cabinet, but I wanted to spend a bit more time with my kids … although after five months with them solidly I’m beginning to question that decision,” he joked.

Mr Johnson took 66 per cent of the Tory members’ vote in the final round of the leadership contest compared to Mr Hunt on 34 per cent.