UK’s Boris Johnson under pressure

Boris Johnson, the strong favourite to become Britain’s next prime minister, came under pressure from figures in his own party yesterday to explain reports of a domestic “row” that led to a police visit. Although still heavily backed to beat Jeremy Hunt to become Conservative Party leader, and therefore prime minister, a snap poll published in the Mail on Sunday suggested that the incident had cut his support.

The Guardian reported that police were alerted early on Friday after a neighbour heard a loud altercation involving screams, shouts and bangs at the south London property, shortly after Johnson had secured his place in the final run-off to become prime minister. The paper said Johnson’s partner Carrie Symonds could be heard telling the former London mayor to “get off me” and “get out of my flat”.

The former foreign minister refused to answer questions about the incident on the first day of the month-long contest to win over Conservative grassroot members, saying “I don’t think people want to hear about that kind of thing.” He instead tried to focus on his policies, saying “we need to get Brexit done” and promising to prepare Britain for a no-deal exit from the EU, if a deal cannot be reached.

‘Lack of discipline’

Johnson’s leadership rival Hunt told Sky News on Sunday that “someone who wants to be prime minister should answer questions on everything”. Trade minister Liam Fox -- who is backing Hunt for leader -- told BBC1’s The Andrew Marr Show: “I think it is always easier to just give an explanation.” Former Tory foreign office minister Alan Duncan -- another Hunt supporter -- told the Guardian newspaper his former boss now had a “big question mark over his head”.

Johnson had shown a “lack of discipline” throughout his career, he added. According to the Survation poll in the Mail yesterday, Hunt is now the preferred candidate to become prime minister among voters for all parties, as Johnson saw a seven-percent decline in support. His lead over Hunt with Conservative voters had been slashed from 27 per cent to nine percent since Friday, the poll suggested. But only the Conservative Party’s 160,000 members get to choose between Johnson and Hunt.

And their support for Johnson appeared undimmed on Saturday, at the first of a series of “hustings” -- internal party debates to decide the new leader. The Conservative members in the central English city of Birmingham gave Johnson a standing ovation, and loudly heckled interviewer Iain Dale as he quizzed the former London mayor over Friday’s domestic incident.

Bannon claims

“Stuff happens at home all the time... someone spills the wine, we can’t really be making headlines out of that,” supporter Hasnain Ahmed, 23, said. “What’s important is what’s this guy going to be delivering for you in Brexit.” With Sunday marking the three-year anniversary of the vote to leave the EU, the issue still dominates British politics. Hunt also received a warm reception, promising that if he couldn’t strike a Brexit deal with the EU, “then I will leave without a deal”.

“I was probably leaning towards Boris but I was very impressed with what Jeremy Hunt said today,” Tory councillor Karen Shakespeare, told AFP. “He surprised me with his directness and honesty so I have to say I am now leaning very heavily towards Jeremy Hunt.” Johnson also came under scrutiny on Sunday for his relationship with Steve Bannon, the controversial former adviser to US President Donald Trump. Footage published by the Observer showed Bannon claiming that he had helped craft Johnson’s resignation speech as foreign minister last year.

The pair got to know each other when both were in office, and were reported to have met again in an unofficial capacity last summer. Johnson said at the time that “the so-called relationship” with Bannon was a “lefty delusion” and his office dismissed the latest claims of a working relationship as “totally preposterous to the point of a conspiracy”.