Boris
Johnson dramatically quit the Tory leadership battle today after
Michael Gove delivered a mortal blow to his hopes of reaching Downing
Street.
The
former London mayor made a humiliating exit after the Justice Secretary
announced his own bid and questioned his colleague's commitment to
cutting ties with Brussels.
As
the blows rained down on Mr Johnson this morning, key backers Nick
Boles and Dominic Raab defected to Mr Gove's campaign and arch-rival
Theresa May won support from Leader of the House Chris Grayling -
another Brexit champion.
Within
hours Mr Johnson, who had been the hot favourite, was using an event
that had been intended as his campaign launch to rule himself out.
‘Let
us seize this chance and make this our moment to stand tall in the
world. That is the agenda for the next prime minister of this country,'
he said.
'But
I must tell you, my friends, you who have waited faithfully for the
punch line for 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 fulfill the mandate of the
people that was delivered at the referendum and to champion the agenda I
believe in.'
Boris Johnson seen leaving St Ermin's Hotel in Westminster with wife
Marina today after dramatically ruling himself out of the contest in the
wake of Michael Gove's surprise move
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