Boris Johnson dismisses potential leadership bid as he’s greeted with chants of ‘Boris for PM’ at New Zealand’s Parliament
Foreign secretary admitted election ‘did not evolve entirely in the way the Government had hoped’
BORIS Johnson again dismissed any leadership bid yesterday after fans in New Zealand greeted him with screams “Boris for PM”.
The Foreign Secretary, snapped with a giant lizard on a tour of the Southern Hemisphere, said Brits wanted no more “political kerfuffle” admitting the election did not “evolve entirely in the way the Government had hoped”.
It came as Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said he hoped the Theresa May “would last” as PM while on tour in Australia.
Speaking during a press conference at New Zealand’s parliament buildings in Wellington Mr Johnson insisted voters just wanted to see the Government get on with delivering Brexit.
Describing leadership calls as “diametrically opposed” to his own opinion, Mr Johnson said: “What the British people want to see is a government that gets on with the job.
“They’ve got that with Theresa and we are going to deliver a great Brexit deal. They see no need for any more political kerfuffle.”
Questioned if Tory “infighting” could compromise trade discussions, Mr Johnson said any suggestion of discord in the Conservative Party had “completely passed me by”.
He added: “Let’s be clear, the election did not evolve entirely in the way the Government had hoped or would have wanted.
“But the Labour Party did not win, they were 50 seats behind.”
Sir Michael Fallon, who is on a separate visit to Sydney for a summit of defence and foreign ministers, also insisted he was “absolutely not” interested in the job.
Asked whether he had thought about becoming leader, he replied: “Absolutely not. Absolutely not. I’ve never considered that.
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“We have a Prime Minister and I want to see her, as she is doing, being loyally supported at the moment.”
Quizzed over whether how long she will last in office, he replied: “She led us into the election and we didn’t get the majority she wanted but she won the most seats, she won the most votes. I think she will last.”
It came after 15 MPs signed a letter of no confidence in Theresa May as part of a plot to oust her ahead of autumn conference.
