'Don't be a coward, Boris!' Hunt launches vicious salvo at Tory rival

Jeremy Hunt today demanded that Boris Johnson stop being a 'coward' - as the front runner dodged another TV debate in the wake of his bust-up with his girlfriend.

The Foreign Secretary said Mr Johnson was 'disrespecting' party members by refusing to face scrutiny.

In an extraordinary full-frontal assault, Mr Hunt also taunted Mr Johnson that he was 'going to lose' the battle for the leadership. 

The dramatic escalation came as Mr Johnson came under intense pressure to sign up for a Sky New head-to-head debate this week.

He has been accused of hiding in his bunker by avoiding the face-off, as well as shunning interviews and limiting questions from journalists. 

At hustings over the weekend, Mr Johnson flatly refused to address the explosive row with his girlfriend at their south London flat. Neighbours called the police, who took no action, before handing the recording to the Guardian.

In a round of broadcast interviews today, Mr Hunt said: 'On the question of debates, he is being a coward.

'It is very disrespectful to say that you're not going to appear in any head-to-head debates in the two weeks when (party members) can see you before they've actually voted.'

'People need to know what you're going to do and you need to answer those questions,' 

Jeremy Hunt last night demanded Boris Johnson come clean about his late-night clash with his girlfriend

Mr Johnson remained tight-lipped at a hustings for party members in Birmingham over the weekend.

Asked about his rival's silence, Mr Hunt told Sky News: 'Someone who wants to be prime minister should answer questions on everything.'

International Trade Secretary Liam Fox, who is backing Mr Hunt, also said Mr Johnson should answer questions to stop the issue becoming a 'distraction'. 

Mr Hunt said today that his opponent was trying to 'slink through the back door' of No 10 and avoid public debate. 

'One of the strengths of our system is that we scrutinise our politicians with more intelligent ferocity than anywhere else in the world. But in this case it just isn't happening,' he said in an article for The Times.

'Nothing could be worse for a new prime minister in these challenging times than to come to power with a fake contest. 

'I am not interested in debating Boris's private life. But I do want to quiz him on how he can 'guarantee' we will leave the EU on October 31 if Parliament votes to stop a No Deal Brexit, as it did in March.

'I want to know what he really means by 'reviewing' HS2 or his 'grave reservations' about the third runway – surely he has had long enough to decide what he thinks?

'Don't be a coward Boris, man up and show the nation you can cope with the intense scrutiny the most difficult job in the country will involve.'

Mr Hunt said Mr Johnson (pictured with Carrie in 2012) appeared cowardly, and wanted to 'slink through the back door' of No 10 and avoid public debate

Mr Hunt said Mr Johnson (pictured with Carrie in

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