The Catch-up: Will cocaine row stop Boris Johnson becoming Prime Minister?

What happened?

Boris Johnson was forced to swerve questions at his official leadership launch today about a previous confession that he has taken cocaine. Asked about an admission made in 2007 that he tried the Class A drug at university, Mr Johnson said: “I think the account of this event when I was 19 has appeared many, many times.” Mr Johnson then changed the subject and refused to say any more on the subject.

What does it mean for his chances?

Mr Johnson is the runaway favourite to win the Conservative leadership competition and therefore become Prime Minister. So far it doesn't look like the resurfacing of a past scandal will have much of an effect. Mr Johnson has had to deal with far less criticism than fellow leadership hopeful Michael Gove, who faced calls to drop out of the race after admitting using cocaine a number of times before he became a politician.

Good Morning Britain host Piers Morgan, who elicited Mr Johnson’s admission about cocaine use during the interview for GQ in 2007, said today: “Boris admitted taking cocaine. Unequivocally. I know this because I’m the one he admitted it to. The interesting question is why such an admission is deemed campaign-wrecking for Gove but not for Boris.”

The main issue the former foreign secretary is a lack of trust. Today he acknowledged his use of language – such as his description of Muslim women who wore the burka as “letter boxes” – sometimes resulted in ”some plaster coming off the ceiling”. However, he rejected past charges of untrustworthiness levelled at him by colleagues and rivals.

Read more:

What Boris Johnson said today and what he meant (The Independent)

4 questions Boris Johnson didn’t answer during his launch (Yahoo News UK)

Which Tory leadership candidate has the best Instagram game? (HuffPost)

When will the next Tory leader and Prime Minister be selected? (Telegraph)

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