Michael Gove Rules Himself Out Of Tory Leadership Campaign

Michael Gove Rules Himself Out Of Tory Leadership Campaign
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Michael Gove has ruled himself out of the Conservative leadership campaign.

The justice secretary told the audience of the Sky News EU referendum Q&A on Friday evening he did not want to succeed David Cameron as prime minister.

"The one thing I can tell you there are lots of talented people who could be prime minister after David Cameron, but count me out," he said.

Asked if he was the poster boy for the pro-Brexit backbenchers, Gove added: "The one thing I would recommend is whatever posters you put up on your wall, do not put one up of me.

"I am not  there sort of person you want to have when you wake up on your bedroom wall."

Cameron has pledged to stand down as prime minister before 2020. Boris Johnson, George Osborne and Theresa May are seen as the most likely successors.

However since Gove decided to back the Brexit campaign, in opposition to his good friend Cameron, there has been a suggestion he may fancy running for the top job.

This morning, Cameron insisted the referendum was not a vote on his leadership of the Conservative Party.

Asked if he could still lead his party in the event of a Brexit vote, he told ITV: "Yes, because what’s on the ballot paper on the 23 June is do we want to say in the EU or leave the EU.

"It is perfectly possible to hold a referendum, have a result, then get on with the job of governing the country."

Cameron said he and other Conservative ministers would "accept the instructions of the public and come back together and form what I want to be a radical, reforming government".

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