Boris Johnson refused to be drawn as he left his home in London yesterday

Boris Johnson will be summonsed to court to answer accusations that he lied to the public during the EU referendum.

The former foreign secretary and front runner to be the next prime minister must attend a preliminary hearing, District Judge Margot Coleman ruled yesterday.

A source close to Mr Johnson attacked the “extraordinary decision” and said the prosecution was “nothing less than a politically motivated attempt to reverse Brexit and crush the will of the people”.

The prosecution against him has been brought by Marcus Ball KIRSTY O'CONNOR/PA

Marcus Ball, 29, raised more than £200,000 through crowdfunding to bring a private prosecution of misconduct in public office, accusing Mr Johnson of endorsing and making statements he knew to be false. The case rests on the Vote Leave campaign’s claim that the UK sends £350 million a week