Michael Gove told Boris Johnson: “If anyone should be stepping back, it’s you,” when he was sacked by the prime minister, his ex-wife has claimed.
In her regular column in the Daily Mail, Sarah Vine said the former levelling up secretary responded with the barbed one-liner when Mr Johnson informed him he was being fired.
The surprise move was the latest twist in the often-difficult relationship between the two men, with Mr Johnson’s leadership campaign in 2016 derailed when Mr Gove withdrew support and decided to run himself.
Mr Gove is thought to have been among those who told the prime minister on Wednesday morning that it was time for him to quit, even as Mr Johnson fought to remain Conservative leader.
Ms Vine, who separated from Mr Gove last year, said she spoke to her former partner shortly after he was fired.
She said he was told about his sacking by Rachel Johnson, the prime minister’s sister.
In her column, Ms Vine quoted Mr Gove directly, writing: “‘The prime minister rang me a few minutes ago and told me it was time for me to step back. I said, respectfully, prime minister, if anyone should be stepping back, it is you.”’
Ms Vine said she asked Mr Gove: “What are you going to do now?”
He allegedly responded: “Have a glass of wine and a slice of salami and see what tomorrow brings.”
Mr Johnson on Thursday announced he would be stepping down as Conservative leader, however, he will stay on as caretaker prime minister until a successor is appointed, which is expected to be by the time of the Tory Party conference in October.
The prime minister’s resignation came after more than 50 MPs resigned from government or party roles after it emerged he promoted Tory MP Chris Pincher despite knowledge of misconduct claims against him.
He is now facing calls to leave Downing Street immediately and allow someone else to step into the caretaker role until a new leader is chosen.
Sir Geoffrey Clinton-Brown, treasurer of the Tory backbencher committee, said Mr Johnson would have been ousted straight away and Dominic Raab placed as the caretaker prime minister in an “ideal world” but “that ship has sailed”.
“We must now live with the fact that Boris Johnson will be prime minister until a successor can be voted on,” he said.
Additional reporting by Press Association
