Gove announces intention to stand for PM and blasts Johnson

Michael Gove has announced that he will stand as a candidate to be the next Prime Minister whilst blasting fellow Leave campaign and former Mayor of London Boris Johnson.

Michael Gove has announced that he will stand as a candidate to be the next Prime Minister whilst blasting fellow leading Leave campaigner and former Mayor of London Boris Johnson.

The Justice Secretary saidJohnson "cannot provide the leadership" or "build the team for the task ahead".

In the statement, Gove said:"I have repeatedly said that I do not want to be Prime Minister. That has always been my view. But events since last Thursday have weighed heavily with me.

"I respect and admire all the candidates running for the leadership. In particular, I wanted to help build a team behind Boris Johnson so that a politician who argued for leaving the European Union could lead us to a better future.

"But I have come, reluctantly, to the conclusion that Boris cannot provide the leadership or build the team for the task ahead."

Housing credentials

During the Leave campaign Gove warned that unless Britain voted to leave the EU, housing for families in the UK wouldbecome “unaffordable for all but the super-rich.”

At the time he said:“If we Vote Leave we will be able to take back control of our economy and make it work better for the British people,” Mr Gove said.

“At the moment we are powerless to stop offshore companies buying property in the UK because of EU rules.

“This drives up the cost of housing, which is fast becoming unaffordable for all but the super-rich.

“If we Vote Leave and take back control we would be able to introduce curbs that would help British families to get on the housing ladder.”

Analysis of Land Registry data shows there are99,344 properties in England and Wales owned by offshore companies with 44,002 of these, or 44.3%, in Greater London.