TORY leadership hopeful Grant Shapps said Boris Johnson resigned hours after a frank chat where he "gave the PM the facts".
The Transport Secretary, who announced a tilt at the top job yesterday, went to see Mr Johnson the day before he resigned.
After a "candid" conversation, Boris decided to throw in the towel, Mr Shapps said this morning.
Speaking to Sophy Ridge on Sky, he said: "I always think best thing to do is be candid and say it as it is.
"I could see things were coming to a close."
He said that as a leader, the PM was surrounded by people who "tell you what you want to hear".
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"I wanted to make sure he was getting facts," he said.
"That was my conversation.
"He listened carefully, and the next morning said he would stand down."
Ms Ridge asked if Mr Shapps was part of the reason for Mr Johnson's resignation.
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He replied: "Yes – it was presenting the reality, so yes."
And in a jab at the outgoing Prime Minister, Mr Shapps said the Government's problems became "insurmountable" because of Partygate.
"We were in lockdown," he said.
"In the end, those that make the laws have to live by the laws, and that made it impossible."
Mr Shapps enters the race with a pledge to cut taxes, spread prosperity to the regions, seize the benefits of Brexit, and speed up access to health treatment.
He would also increase spending on the Army.
In an interview with The Sun on Sunday, he said: “My message to MPs is simple. I can help you win. I will win your seat."
'BORIS NEEDED THE FACTS'
Meanwhile, Jeremy Hunt told the BBC's Sophie Raworth the UK has a "big opportunity to become the world's next Silicon Valley".
But he was accused of not being "radical" enough with his tax cutting programme.
Ms Raworth said: "The problem you have is, you're seen as safe pair of hands, but have no big ideas, you're not radical, and [you don't have] exciting plans ahead to take country forward.
"Have the party and the country moved on from politicians like you?"
The MP – who has been a backbencher in Mr Johnson's Government – replied: "I hope not.
"I am someone who is a patriot, knows how to unleash the potential we have as country. I'm someone who will always be straight about the trade-offs we have to get there."
And Sajid Javid was also quizzed on his plans by Ms Raworth.
MORDAUNT ENTERS THE RACE
He denied a plot with Rishi Sunak to bring down the PM. Mr Sunak announced his resignation just nine minutes after Mr Javid became the first of dozens of politicians to quit the Government.
"I had no idea what he was going to do," Mr Javid said.
The interviewer suggested he'd been "naïve" to defend Mr Johnson over Partygate.
"You actively decided to stay right until end," she said.
"What does that say about your judgement?"
But Mr Javid fired back: "I actively decided to leave before anyone else. That's what I did.
"Everyone else followed, including the Chancellor and others.
In the end, those that make the laws have to live by the laws
"I did that first. Another question might be, why did some 50 other people wait?"
The contestants spoke after bookies' favourite Ben Wallace pulled out of the race yesterday.
Elsewhere, Penny Mordaunt has become the ninth politician to announce her candidacy.
Currently, hot favourite to become the next PM is Mr Sunak, who was the first big beast to go public with his bid to become leader.
It's believed 19 Tories — including a host of no-marks — are weighing up tilts at the top job.
Of that number, more than 15 are expected to take a punt.
However, the race for No10 is expected to be scaled back to just four candidates by next week.
Johnson fired the starting gun on the race on Thursday when he reluctantly quit.
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In a defiant speech, he described his colleagues’ decision to oust him as “eccentric” and the result of “herd instinct”.
He is currently running the country with a 'zombie cabinet'.
Who’s planning to run?
You might even have heard of some of them…
- Rishi Sunak
- Sajid Javid
- Nadhim Zahawi
- Liz Truss
- Grant Shapps
- Priti Patel
- Tom Tugendhat
- Penny Mordaunt
- Suella Braverman
- Jeremy Hunt
- Kemi Badenoch
- Nadine Dorries
- David Davis
- Rehman Chishti
- Bill Wiggin
- John Baron
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