Philip Hammond 'texted Boris Johnson to give leadership backing' after snap election failure

Emilio Casalicchio

Philip Hammond sent a text to Boris Johnson offering his backing for a leadership bid as the humiliating results of the snap general election became clear, it has been claimed.



The Chancellor is one of four of Theresa May’s most prominent Cabinet figures who plotted to oust her in the wake of the humiliating snap general election result, according to the Sunday Times.

Mrs May managed to lose her Commons majority in the election - meaning her big gamble in calling it utterly backfired.

Mr Hammond reportedly sent the message to the Chancellor at about 4am on results night, signalling he would be prepared to support him if he ran for the leadership, the paper says.

“I know on that first day he thought Boris could be the answer because he’d have this reach and appeal,” an ally of the Chancellor said.

A source close to Mr Hammond told the paper they would not “quibble” with the claim he was ready to back Mr Johnson.

Home Secretary Amber Rudd meanwhile also said she was keen to run for the job after moderates linked to David Cameron agreed that she would be their candidate, the paper says.

And Brexit Secretary David Davis was reportedly involved in a name-gathering plot after the outrage at Mrs May’s response to the Grenfell Tower disaster – but it was ended due to lack of support.

The revelations come in a new book - Fall Out: A Year of Political Mayhem - by Sunday Times political editor Tim Shipman.

A former minister told the paper: “The next time she makes a mistake the wheels will turn and something will happen.”