Johnson under pressure over dodging girlfriend issue as Hunt warns of ‘populist’

Boris Johnson is facing pressure to answer questions about police being called to the flat he shares with partner Carrie Symonds, following reports he had a heated row with her.

When repeatedly asked about the incident at a Tory hustings event on Saturday, the Tory leadership contender avoided giving a direct answer, saying: “Most people would really rather judge my ambitions and my character.”

“I don’t think they want to hear about that kind of thing,” he said.

“I think what they want to hear is what my plans are for the country and for our party.”

Debate host Iain Dale kept on pressing Mr Johnson to audience boos, with the former London mayor telling them: “Don’t boo the great man.”

After five questions, Mr Johnson said it was “pretty clear” he would not discuss the matter.

The response came as he faced off with leadership rival Jeremy Hunt in Birmingham.

The line of questioning followed reports police were called to the home of Mr Johnson and Ms Symonds early on Friday morning.

According to The Guardian, a neighbour called 999 after hearing screaming, shouting and banging.

Scotland Yard said the caller was “concerned for the welfare of a female neighbour”.

A police spokesperson said officers “attended and spoke to all occupants of the address, who were all safe and well”.

“There were no offences or concerns apparent to the officers and there was no cause for police action,” they added.

The Guardian reported that the neighbour, Tom Penn, who made a recording of the altercation, said he and his wife knocked on the door but received no response.

“I [was] hoping that someone would answer the door and say ‘we’re okay’. I knocked three times and no one came to the door,” Mr Penn told the newspaper.

Mr Penn and his wife have found themselves under scrutiny amid the fallout from the incident. In a statement reported by The Guardian, Mr Penn defended his decision to reveal details of the incident to the newspaper, saying he “felt it was of important public interest”.

Conservative grandee Sir Malcolm Rifkind accused Mr Johnson of a “lack of judgement” over his refusal to comment on the incident.

He told BBC Radio 5 Live: “If you are a candidate to be prime minister and the police have been called to your house –
fairly or unfairly – the fact is there was a police visit. You don’t just say ‘no comment’.

“That implies you may have something you don’t want to disclose.”

The former foreign secretary rejected a suggestion that Mr Johnson should be allowed to draw a distinction between his private and public life.

“I’m sorry, you don’t have that sort of private life if you’re asking people to choose you to be their prime minister,” Sir Malcolm said.

“Of course there are certain things that are utterly personal, but it’s rather like Michael Gove being asked if he took cocaine.”

Meanwhile, a poll suggests that Mr Johnson’s popularity has taken a hit with voters.

Support for the ex-Cabinet minister dropped sharply after news of the police involvement became public, according to a Survation survey for the Mail on Sunday.

The day before the police involvement, Thursday, a Survation poll gave Mr Johnson an eight-point lead over rival for the Tory crown Jeremy Hunt among all voters – but he had dropped three points behind the Foreign Secretary on Saturday.

At the hustings event, Mr Dale told Mr Johnson he was “completely avoiding” questions about the argument.

Mr Johnson was the first to address Conservative members before Mr Hunt took to the stage to answer questions.

The former London mayor said he was the man to “get Brexit done” and “unleash on the project”, adding that “in all confidence, we can turn this thing around”.

But in a swipe at Mr Johnson, Mr Hunt said: “We could choose our own populist, or we could do better… we could choose our own Jeremy.

“A Jeremy that’s going to deliver Brexit, unleash the potential of our extraordinary country, deliver true Brexit.”

Mr Hunt, who appeared on the stage with his sleeves rolled up, later warned members of the end of the Conservative Party.

He said: “We are in a very serious situation.

“Get things wrong and there will be no Conservative government, maybe even no Conservative Party.

“Get things right and we can deliver Brexit, unite the party and send Corbyn packing. That’s our choice.

“Who is the PM we trust to send to Brussels to lead us out of this crisis? If we send the wrong person, catastrophe awaits.”

(c) Sky News 2019: Johnson under pressure over dodging girlfriend issue as Hunt warns of ‘populist’