Boris Johnson insists he won’t come clean on Carrie Symonds row saying ‘I don’t talk about my loved ones’
BORIS Johnson has insisted he won’t discuss his row with Carrie Symonds saying “I don’t talk about my loved ones” – as he comes out fighting with a blitz of public appearances.
The Tory leadership frontrunner has faced spiralling demands to explain his midnight row with his girlfriend that saw the police called.
In an interview with the BBC’s Political Editor Laura Kuenssberg, Boris explained his vow of silence over his colourful private life.
Asked what happened in Ms Symonds’ flat, he replied: “I would love to tell you about all sorts of things Laura, 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.
“Actually 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, does he deliver what he says he’s going to deliver? And that is the key thing.”
And Boris insisted his silence on his marriages and extra-marital would not change even when he entered No10.
Earlier on Monday, a picture emerged showing the mop-haired senior Tory MP and 31 year-old Ms Symonds engaged in an intimate chat in the countryside.
The pair were photographed sharing the tender moment at a garden table on Sunday evening at a hideaway house in Sussex.
They appeared on a news website yesterday morning, just as another deluge of bad headlines about the couple’s rocky relationship dominated TV bulletins and newspaper front pages for a third day in a row.
The picture came as friends of the former Foreign Secretary mounted a fight back to insist the couple were being hounded.
Boris backer MP Nadine Dorries tweeted: “I’ve spoken to Boris Johnson + Carrie Symonds 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”.
Ex-Cabinet minister Priti Patel insisted he was being subjected to “politically motivated” personal attacks, adding: “Boris has a right to a private life. It is his choice whether he chooses to discuss it publicly”.
But another prominent supporter, rising star MP Johnny Mercer, admitted Boris did present “risks”.
Mr Mercer told the Panorama programme: “Boris Johnson will have his own risks that others will not have.
“I totally understand that people can look at aspects of Boris Johnson’s character or his judgement.
“But for me it’s actually quite simple. We have to put a premium on a) winning elections, b) delivering things for people who vote for us.
“And I think the best way of doing that at the moment is to try and shape a Boris Johnson premiership.”
Today, Mr Johnson will campaign for Tory party members’ votes in South London and Surrey.
He will carry out five different campaigning events in the hope of coming across as visible as possible.
The blitz marks a major switch in tactics after 55 year-old Mr Johnson lost significant ground to rival Jeremy Hunt, who has halved his big lead in the race for No10.
He will do a high street walkabout, visits a horticultural society, attend an afternoon tea event, door knock with local candidates and then speak to 200 Tory members at an evening event.
It comes after The Sun revealed major splits emerged in his senior campaign team between ‘old guard’ friends who feel “frozen out” by his newer recruits.
One frustrated senior Tory MP ally told The Sun: “Whoever has been hiding Boris needs to be shot. We’ve been saying for ages he needs to get out there and be pictured with members”.
A Boris campaign spokesman insisted the public blitz was not a U-turn in tactics, saying: “The first stage of the campaign was very much focussed on MPs.
“This is the second stage, where Boris will show just why he is the one to beat Jeremy Corbyn out in the country and deliver Brexit on October 31 on time, with or without a deal.”
BREXIT STRATEGY
In the BBC interview, Boris also tackled a series of other unanswered questions about his Brexit strategy.
He has pledged to force the EU to agree a better deal, but only after the UK leaves the EU on October 31.
But the EU’s 27 leaders have vowed there will be no trade deal talks or smooth transition period unless Britain passes the Withdrawal Agreement negotiated by Theresa May.
Boris insisted Brussels will relent on both when he refuses to pay the £39bn divorce cheque, and he is also convinced the EU is now prepared to offer the UK better terms because it also now wants rid of us.
Mr Johnson claimed: “They’ve got the incentive of the money, the £39billion that they’re keen to get.
“They’ve got 29 Brexit Party MEPs they don’t particularly want. And frankly they also want Brexit to be done. They want us out.”
He added: “The way to get our friends and partners to understand how serious we are is, I’m afraid, to abandon the defeatism and negativity that has enfolded us in a great cloud for so long and to prepare confidently and seriously for a WTO or no deal outcome”.
Boris also insisted he would be able to get a No Deal Brexit passed by the House of Commons, despite a majority of MPs already vowing to block it.
Jeremy Hunt kept up the pressure on Boris yesterday, even trolling him on Twitter by pinching the mantle long held by Boris.
It emerged that Mr Hunt won the unlikely backing of Sex And The City star Kim Cattrall.
In response, the Foreign Secretary tweeted of himself: “Hunt: the Heineken candidate”.
Mr Hunt also challenged Boris to rule out holding a snap general election to push through a No Deal Brexit.
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Stepping up his criticism of his rival, the Foreign Secretary has demanded Boris engage in a head to head Tory leadership debate with him to spell out his EU exit plans clearly.
Mr Hunt said: “I think it be would catastrophic for our party to have a general election before we’ve delivered Brexit.
“We would be wiped out. It’s very important Boris is honest with people, would he or would he not have a general election to force through No Deal?”