Rory Stewart in talks with Michael Gove about 'combining forces' in Tory leadership race
2 min read
Rory Stewart has revealed that he and Michael Gove are "talking about combining forces" to take on Boris Johnson in the race to be the next Prime Minister.
The International Development Secretary spoke out as Tory MPs prepared to pass judgement on the five remaining candidates in the contest.
Mr Stewart told BBC Two’s Victoria Derbyshire show that he and the Environment Secretary would have to "come to a common position" on Brexit if they were to agree to a joint-ticket.
Speaking after a self-confessed “flat performance” in last night’s televised debate, Mr Stewart addressed rumours he was in talks with Mr Gove ahead of today’s third leadership ballot.
Asked what they were discussing he said: “We’re talking about combining forces.
“Because it’s clear that Boris is going into the last round, and the question is; who is best placed to sit on a stage with Boris Johnson and who is best placed to ask the testing questions that need to be asked, and who has the vision of Britain that is going to excite people, get young people involved in politics, and show us who can build a much better country.”
Quizzed on how such a teaming up would work, given the pair's different views on Brexit, he said they would do so by “sitting down and thrashing through that very issue”.
He said: “We would have to sit down and come to a common position on that. I would have to say to him how is it that you think you’re going to get a different deal from Brussels, how would you get a no-deal through Parliament?”
Mr Stewart added: “If neither of us are prepared to budge on our analysis then of course we couldn’t combine as a team.”
Refusing to deny that talks were taking place, a spokesman for Mr Gove said: “We are in it to win it and we would welcome the support of any candidate that wanted to drop out and support us.”
Mr Stewart came fourth in Tuesday's ballot of Tory MPs with 37 votes, while Mr Gove was third with 41.
In last place and in danger of being eliminated is Home Secretary Sajid Javid with 33 votes, but he will hope to overtake Mr Stewart by picking up many of the 30 MPs who previously backed Dominic Raab, who was eliminated on Tuesday.
Further ballots are scheduled for Thursday, when the candidates will be whittled down to the final two, which are then sent to the Conservative Party membership for a final decision.
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