Michael Gove drugs shock: How Gove is now ‘unbackable’ in Tory leadership race
MICHAEL GOVE’S admission he took cocaine several times before becoming an MP has seen calls for his resignation from the Tory leadership race - and now the bookies say his revelation means he is “unbackable” in the contest.
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Environment Secretary Michael Gove has launched his bid to become the next Conservative Party leader and Prime Minister hours after the official contest got underway. Mr Gove, 51, had been one of the frontrunners to take over from Theresa May - second only to Boris Johnson - but his campaign was derailed after admitting using cocaine on several occasions 20 years ago. Online bookie Betfair said the minister’s odds of winning have soared to 20/1 from 4/1, effectively blowing his chances of becoming the next Tory leader. Betway’s Alan Alger said: “Michael Gove was simply unbackable as the 4/1 second favourite following his recent admittance to taking cocaine. We pushed him out to 6/1, then 11/1 and he’s now as big as 20/1 to be the next Tory Leader.”
Mr Gove’s main rival, fellow Brexiteer Boris Johnson, also slumped in the race over the last 48 hours, Betfair said, dropping to 4/7 from 4/11.
Mr Alger added: “When you consider that Gove, seemingly the biggest challenger to Boris Johnson, has drifted so markedly in the betting, you’d expect everyone to switch to backing Johnson.
“However, it seems as though punters want to get Boris beat and we’re taking a lot of bets on the likes of Jeremy Hunt and Andrea Leadsom.”
Current odds put Jeremy Hunt in second place on 7/2 followed by Andrea Leadsom on 15/2.
What has Michael Gove said?
Mr Gove has publicly apologised for taking the Class A drug, saying it was a mistake”.
The Cabinet member told the Andrew Marr Show: “I deeply regret the mistake that I made. It was a crime, it was a mistake.”
When asked if should have gone to prison, Mr Gove replied: “I was fortunate in that I didn’t, but I do think it was a profound mistake.”
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Mr Gove has been accused of being a “hypocrite” after writing an article at the time of his illegal behaviour criticising “middle class professionals” who took drugs.
However, he denied that in his TV interview on Sunday.
The pressure continued on Mr Gove today as he launched his campaign but he tried to deflect attention from his past by attacking Mr Johnson.
Referencing a pledge by the ex-Foreign Secretary to cut income tax for higher earners, Mr Gove said “the poor must come first” adding he will not “give the already wealthy another tax cut”.
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The politician also said he was “willing to delay Brexit for a day or a week” to get a Brussels-negotiated deal through the Commons.
Tory MPs who wish to enter the leadership race have until 5pm today to enter.
There are 11 names running at the moment and each nomination must receive the backing of eight Tory MPs.
The successful candidates will be announced from 5.30pm onwards.