Politics

Boris Johnson joins fellow Tory leadership hopefuls at private hustings in London



Contenders for the Tory crown have been laying out their pitches to Conservative members as part of a hustings for the party grassroots. 

Six hopefuls remain in the race to succeed Theresa May after Health Secretary Matt Hancock withdrew from the contest on Friday. 

The remaining candidates are Boris JohnsonRory Stewart, Sajid Javid, Jeremy Hunt, Michael Gove and Dominic Raab.

They were all invited to attend the event in central London, which was organised by the National Conservative Convention, representing the party grassroots.

Rory Stewart speaking to reporters as he arrives at the hustings. (PA)

Home Secretary Mr Javid was greeted by a heckler as he arrived at the Riverbank Park Plaza Hotel.

A passerby on a bicycle shouted “People’s Vote Home Secretary” and “we’ve been lied to” as Mr Javid stepped out of his chauffeur-driven car.

Mr Javid told reporters it was “clear” Boris Johnson would be one of the final two leadership candidates but he was happy to be in the running.

Sajid Javid appeared at the hustings in central London today. (PA)

His pitch to Tory members inside the hustings was his party must “deliver on Brexit”, an insider said.

Mr Javid said it was important to win back people who have “turned off” the Conservative Party, and made the point it has not won a majority for 25 years.

The party must also reach out to young people and disaffected Labour voters, he added.

As he arrived, Mr Hunt took the opportunity to criticise Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn’s stance on whether Iran was responsible for oil tanker attacks in the Gulf of Oman.

Dominic Raab refused to speak to reporters as he arrived at the hustings. (PA)

In a brief interview, the Foreign Secretary said: “We actually have video evidence that shows what the Iranians have been doing.

“For Jeremy Corbyn it’s all America’s fault. And this is the same man by the way who refused to condemn Putin after the Salisbury Novichok attacks.

“I’m afraid this shows that Labour is in the grip of virulent anti-Americanism that will be incredibly dangerous for our country if they ever took control.”

Taking questions as he left the hustings, Mr Raab said: “I’m just getting started. I’m the candidate I think can be most trusted to deliver on Brexit.

“We’ve got to get Brexit done to deliver a fairer deal for workers, a fairer society and unite the aspirational working middle classes of this country. That’s how we get out of this rut.”

Mr Gove, the final leadership hopeful to leave the hustings, said it was a “wonderful audience” which asked “critical questions about the future of our country”.

“It was a pleasure to be able to talk to the backbone of our party,” he said, before he was driven away from the hotel.

Mr Johnson, the clear frontrunner in the contest, did not take questions as he arrived and left the hustings.

The next ballot takes place on Tuesday. Candidates will need at least 33 votes to make it through to the next round. 



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