A defiant Boris Johnson vowed last night he would never reveal details of the explosive domestic argument that led to the police being called to his girlfriend’s flat.
In a rare interview, the Tory leadership favourite dismissed calls from political rivals and a prominent Tory donor to explain the blazing row with Carrie Symonds last week.
Mr Johnson told the BBC he would never discuss his ‘loved ones’ because it was ‘not fair’ to drag them into politics.
In a rare interview on BBC News At Ten, the Tory leadership favourite dismissed calls from political rivals and a prominent Tory donor to explain the blazing row with Carrie Symonds last week
Asked about the row with Miss Symonds, he said: ‘I would love to tell you about all sorts of things but I’ve made it a rule over many, many years... I do not talk about stuff involving my family, my loved ones.
‘And there’s a very good reason for that. That is that, if you do, you drag them into things that, really, is... not fair on them.’
Asked whether his bid for power meant he had a duty to accept greater scrutiny, he replied: ‘I totally get that. But my key point though is that the minute you start talking about your family or your loved ones, you involve them in a debate that is simply unfair on them.’
Mr Johnson’s campaign to succeed Theresa May was rocked on Friday when it emerged neighbours had called the police after hearing 31-year-old Miss Symonds scream ‘get off me’ and ‘get out of my flat’ during a midnight row.
Police left, saying there were ‘no offences or concerns’. But neighbours, who admit they are politically opposed to the Mr Johnson and Brexit, released a recording of the row to The Guardian newspaper.
Political rivals have called on Mr Johnson to come clean about the incident, with Liam Fox saying he needed to avoid the issue becoming a ‘distraction’.
Leading Tory donor John Griffin, who has given the party £4million, piled on the pressure yesterday, saying: ‘We deserve an explanation about that row.’
Some allies also believe Mr Johnson, 55, should offer an explanation for the row in which he was heard shouting ‘get off my f***ing laptop’ and neighbours reported the sound of smashing crockery.
But former cabinet minister Priti Patel said: ‘He’s never talked about his private life and he never will.’
Mr Johnson told the BBC he would never discuss his ‘loved ones’ because it was ‘not fair’ to drag them into politics. Pictured: Ms Symonds
However, eyebrows were raised yesterday at the emergence of pictures showing Mr Johnson and Miss Symonds gazing into each other’s eyes at the weekend after apparently making up. His aides denied the pictures were staged, but there was widespread speculation that they had been released by someone close to the couple.
Asked by the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg whether he was ‘trying to have it both ways’, he replied: ‘I just do not go into this stuff, and there’s a good reason for it. But I think what people want to know is, what is going on with this guy, does he, when it comes to trust, when it comes to character, all those things, does he deliver what he says he’s going to deliver? And that is the key thing.’
Mr Johnson’s decision to brazen it out came as:
Tory ex-chancellor Ken Clarke said he was ready to lead a rebellion by up to 12 Remainer Tories to oust Mr Johnson’s government if he tried to force a No Deal.Leadership rival Jeremy Hunt branded Mr Johnson a ‘bottler’ after he pulled out of a planned TV debate on Sky News tonight.Mr Johnson prepared to break cover today with a series of campaign events aimed at getting his bid for No10 back on track.Gordon Brown branded Mr Johnson a ‘recruiting sergeant’ for the SNP, and warned he would break up the UK.Campaigner Nimco Ali, a friend of Miss Symonds, said the ‘expectation’ is the couple will marry once Mr Johnson has divorced his second wife Marina Wheeler.Mr Hunt pledged a £15billion increase in defence spending to counter the threat from Russia.
Asked about the row with Miss Symonds, Mr Johnson (pictured) said: ‘I would love to tell you about all sorts of things but I’ve made it a rule over many, many years... I do not talk about stuff involving my family, my loved ones'
Yesterday, allies of Mr Johnson backed his decision to remain silent over the domestic row that threatened to destabilise his leadership bid. Miss Patel said he had a ‘right to a private life’.
Backbencher Nadine Dorries, who spoke to the couple about what happened, tweeted: ‘I am totally stunned at the level of harassment they have had to endure.
‘Hate mail, Left-wing protests outside their flat, eavesdroppers. The stress is immense, more than most could endure. They are together, strong and united.’
A major Conservative donor has suggested Boris Johnson would use the position of prime minister to ‘maraud around, taking advantage of women’.
Taxi tycoon John Griffin, who has given £4 million to the Tories over the past six years, said Mr Johnson needed to come clean about the row with his girlfriend.
He said: ‘If I did anything wrong, I would need to explain. Because he hasn’t, it is a real worry.’
The founder of Addison Lee told The Guardian: ‘We need to know if he can be trusted because he will get even more attention from women if he becomes PM.
‘I’d be concerned if he went marauding around, taking advantage of women by using his position. It would not be right at all.’
Jacob Rees-Mogg attacked the ‘Corbynista curtain-twitchers’ who recorded the couple’s row and passed it to The Guardian.
However, privately, senior figures told the Mail they despaired at how the issue was being handled. One ally said: ‘We just need a better f****** line to take.’ A minister in his camp said: ‘You just can’t get away with not addressing it.’
A prominent supporter added: ‘We can’t talk about it because Boris won’t talk about it.’
Another supportive MP said: ‘There isn’t a person in this place who hasn’t had a row with their wife or partner, but he has to deal with it. He’s getting a lot of sympathy... but that doesn’t mean he can’t address it.’
Zac Goldsmith, a member of Mr Johnson’s team, criticised Mr Hunt for ‘personal attacks’, adding: ‘It’s hard to believe party members will be impressed either.’
Mr Hunt has said he was ‘not interested’ in his rival’s private life. But he has accused Mr Johnson of being a ‘coward’ for dodging media appearances and accused him of trying to ‘slink through the back door’ of No10. Until last night, Mr Johnson had not given any media interviews since he reached the final two in the leadership contest on Thursday. Mr Hunt’s camp say he has been questioned 32 times.
Critics of Mr Johnson also sought to make political capital out of the row. Rory Stewart, the darling of Tory arch-Remainers said: ‘Boris is someone who thinks it’s possible to have both his wife and his mistress.’
Mr Johnson also faced renewed criticism after pulling out of tonight’s Sky News debate, having already ditched a Channel 4 debate. Sky invited both contenders to take part in a 90-minute head-to-head. Mr Hunt agreed but the broadcaster postponed the event yesterday until July 1 because Mr Johnson refused to attend.
The couple broke cover in a photo that showed them looking happy and were holding hands in the Sussex countryside on Sunday
A spokesman for Mr Hunt said: ‘Whoever wants to be prime minister must face up now to the intense scrutiny that comes with the job. Anything less is disrespectful to our members.’
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