David Cameron’s brutal text message to Boris Johnson after Michael Gove destroyed his leadership bid revealed
Former PM sent the damning put-down after his dream of entering Number 10 went up in flames
DAVID Cameron sent a brutal text message to Boris Johnson after his Tory leadership bid was destroyed by Michael Gove, it has been revealed.
The former Prime Minister sent his old friend a damning put-down for ditching him over the EU referendum after his bid to replace him blew up in his face.
Following Mr Gove’s shock announcement he was withdrawing support for his fellow Brexiteer and was running himself, Mr Cameron responded to the news by texting: “You should have stuck with me, mate.”
The , the Sunday Times’ political editor.
In it one Cabinet minister said of Mr Cameron’s demeanour the day Mr Johnson’s dream to enter Number 10 went down in flames as “the happiest I have seen him in a long time”.
An extract from the book also outlines the events leading up to Mr Gove’s decision to knife the man he had campaigned alongside for Brexit.
The pair had agreed that Mr Johnson would run to become PM while the former Education Secretary would take a senior role in his Government.
But the bond began to fall apart over the failed attempt to get Andrea Leadsom on board with the campaign.
Having been a star campaigner for Leave she would help him defeat Theresa May, and Mr Johnson’s team were tasked with giving her a letter proposing to give her a key role, with a tweet to be sent that same night.
The book claims Boris gave the letter to Nick Boles, a Conservative MP and key ally of Mr Gove, to pass on to Ms Leadsom at an event that evening but that he could not find her.
Mr Johnson then text Mr Gove, saying the junior minister wanted him to tweet announcing her joining their campaign, but according to Mr Shipman’s book he failed to reply.
Both sides hotly contest the details of what actually happened that evening, but whatever the scenario Ms Leadsom was failed to be convinced, and announced he was running herself, and the relationship between the pair was badly damaged.
Later that night Mr Gove told his advisers he could no longer back Mr Johnson, deciding to embark on his own unsuccessful tilt at the top job instead.