In the most dramatic development yet in the Tory leadership race, Michael Gove has announced that he is running. As late as last night, Gove was working with Boris Johnson and everyone in the Tory party assumed that the pair were running as a joint ticket.
But Gove has now decided to run himself, saying that he ‘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.’
One prominent Boris backer has already moved over to Gove, Nick Boles—who will now be chairing Gove’s campaign. We wait to see whether others follow. Gove needs them to as many of his closest allies in parliament—Dominic Raab, Liz Truss—had already signed on with Boris in the expectation of a joint ticket.
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