THE PM UK NEVER HAD
Boris Johnson admits ‘I bottled it’ over pulling out of PM race in 2016 after winning Brexit vote
In an LBC phone-in, the Tory heavyweight said that 'in retrospect' he might have done things differently if he had his time again
BORIS Johnson has admitted bottling it when he had the chance to be PM in 2016 – only to pull out of the race at the last minute.
The Tory heavyweight today said that “in retrospect” he might have done things differently if he had his time again.
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He told LBC: “I certainly have engaged with a lot of heart searching about it ever since.”
It came as Boris separately risked another backlash by saying he would compare women wearing the niqab to letterboxes all over again – and claiming he knew more about car making than the boss of Jaguar Land Rover.
Boris quit the Tory leadership race on the morning of his campaign launch in June 2016 following the dramatic last minute decision by running partner Michael Gove to go for the job himself.
At the time, Mr Johnson was seen as a clear favourite to enter the final two against Theresa May in the battle to succeed David Cameron.
Challenged by a caller to LBC yesterday, he said it was “correct” to claim that he bottled it, and that it was “very difficult, very painful question”.
Boris went on: “You’re absolutely correct.
“It was a complicated business, I had a campaign that I wanted to get going and has been exhaustedly and painfully documented.”
Asked if he regretted it, Boris admitted: “In retrospect if I had my time again, I might have done things differently.” He refused to say if he would run this time round – insisting there was “no vacancy”.
I’m going to have to ask my friend Michael [Gove] to inhale some fumes
Boris Johnson on Michael Gove's ban on wood-burning stoves
He added: “There’s no point crying over spilt milk.”
The ex-Foreign Secretary yesterday insisted Mr Gove was a “good friend”.
But he branded his ban on wood-burning stoves “tyrannical”.
And he joked: “I’m going to have to ask my friend Michael to inhale some fumes and see how bad it is.”
In a phone-in on LBC Mr Johnson had earlier incurred the wrath of Tory party chiefs by doubling down over his controversial comments last year that women wearing “oppressive” niqabs looked like letterboxes or bank robbers.
He was cleared of any disciplinary action just before Christmas.
But yesterday Mr Johnson insisted there was nothing wrong with his words and it was the duty of politicians to speak out.
He separately claimed he knew more about car making than JLR boss Ralf Speth, who blamed Brexit uncertainties for 5,000 job cuts last week.
Mr Johnson said that he met Mr Speth as Mayor of London six years ago, and he refused to accept electric vehicles were the future.
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“I simply said that I thought that EVs, electric vehicles, did represent the future, that we should be going down that road.
“And he said ‘No, no, no, diesel is great and we will stick with this’.
“I hesitate to say this but I think events have vindicated me on that point rather than him.”
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