Gove run for Tory leadership forces Johnson out of contest

The race to succeed David Cameron as leader of the Conservative Party and Prime Minister was blown wide open on Thursday when Justice Secretary Michael Gove made a surprise late bid for the contest forcing the favourite Boris Johnson to stand down.

Gove, a prominent member of the campaign to leave the European Union, was expected to support fellow Brexiteer Boris Johnson's campaign for the leadership, but in a stunning volte face, knifed his colleague in the back and made a run at the main job.

Johnson, seen by many, not least himself, as the heir apparent to Cameron, announced his decision in a speech on Thursday after the outflanking by Gove torpedoing his leadership ambitions.

Home Secretary Theresa May also threw her hat into the ring in what is now expected to be a very bloody contest, with bookmaker Ladbrokes making her the 4/7 favourite over Gove at 11/4 after Johnson's withdrawal.

May ruled out a second referendum, telling supporters: "Brexit means Brexit". Johnson in recent days had made remarks that indicated a softening on his own position on leaving the European Union which alarmed those in the party who supported the Leave campaign and was rumoured to be a key reason behind Gove's move.

Key Johnson backers Nick Boles and Dominic Raab also jumped ship to support Gove. Raab did so hours after writing an article in the Sun newspaper in praise of Johnson. Education Secretary Nicky Morgan abandoned thoughts of her own bid to get behind Gove, while Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt also declared he was not running after all, in order to join the Gove camp.

“I have come, reluctantly, to the conclusion that Boris cannot provide the leadership or build the team for the task ahead.”

“I have repeatedly said that I do not want to be prime minister,” Gove said in a statement. "That has always been my view. But events since last Thursday have weighed heavily with me.

“I respect and admire all the candidates running for the leadership. In particular, I wanted to help build a team behind Boris Johnson so that a politician who argued for leaving the European Union could lead us to a better future.”

“But I have come, reluctantly, to the conclusion that Boris cannot provide the leadership or build the team for the task ahead.”

The move by Gove comes a day after a leaked email reportedly from his wife, newspaper columnist Sarah Vine, expressed doubts about Johnson's reliability and popularity with the party and media mogul Rupert Murdoch and the tabloid Daily Mail editor Paul Dacre.

Vine writes a column for the Daily Mail and formerly wrote about beauty products for Murdoch's Times newspaper.

“...the membership will not have the necessary reassurance to back Boris, neither will Dacre or Murdoch”

“One simple message: you MUST have SPECIFIC from Boris OTHERWISE you cannot guarantee your support. The details can be worked out later on, but without that you have no leverage,” the email, leaked to several media outlets, said.

“Crucially, the membership will not have the necessary reassurance to back Boris, neither will Dacre/Murdoch, who instinctively dislike Boris but trust your ability enough to support a Boris Gove ticket.”

“Do not concede any ground. Be your stubborn best."

May launched her bid on Thursday supported notably by the enthusiastic Leave campaigner and Gove's predecessor as Justice Secretary, Chris Grayling.

She voted to remain in the EU, but at her campaign launch ruled out a second referendum on EU membership and early General Election. . "Brexit is Brexit," she told a news conference.

May said Britain needed a "bold, new, positive vision for the future...a vision of a country that works not for a privileged few but for everyone, regardless of who they are and regardless of where they’re from."

Other contenders are Work & Pensions Secretary Stephen Crabb, former Cabinet minister Liam Fox and Energy and Climate change junior minister Andrea Leadsom.

Nominations closed at midday. The contest was sparked by Prime Minister David Cameron's resignation after 52% of voters decided to leave the EU.