New Times,
New Thinking.

8 October 2009

Cameron fury at Boris

Previously dismissed, my story is proved true

By James Macintyre

Just a small footnote to the David Cameron speech on which I live-blogged below. When I reported that David Cameron’s relationship with Boris Johnson was at “breaking point” for a number of specific reasons, the very idea was — as usual — slammed on the Tory blogosphere and dismissed by the right. And yet when Nick Robinson, the respected BBC political editor and no “Labour stooge”, was chatting to Andrew Neil in the run-up to the speech, he revealed that an aide to Cameron had sent Johnson a text message so abusive that he could not repeat a word of it on air. This, after Johnson has yet again sought to upstage his fellow Old Etonian and rival.

Neil agreed there was tense rivalry. Right. That’s sorted that, then.

PS: I was interested to see that my report in this week’s column on how Iain Duncan Smith is poised to return to government if — yes, if — the Tories win, was also confirmed by Cameron.

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