The "Unedifying" Reason There Are So Many Tory Leadership Candidates

29 May 2019, 13:57 | Updated: 29 May 2019, 14:57

Andrew Pierce revealed to LBC the unedifying reason there are so many Tory leadership candidates.

With James Cleverly being the latest MP to enter the Tory party leadership contest Nick Ferrari asked Andrew Pierce if the Conservative MP really had "the momentum to take him forward?"

No, "he's hardly well known outside his own front door," Andrew shot back, pointing out the leadership contest had "become a joke."

At a moment of "acute national crisis," Andrew said that most of the candidates know they do not stand a "cat in hells chance" of winning the leadership.

"We should really be down to four of five candidates, maximum," only those who have a serious chance of being the next Tory leader, Andrew said.

Nick asked if Jeremy Hunt's campaign was damaged when the Foreign Secretary said that leaving the EU with no-deal is "political suicide."

Andrew said there was "no doubt" Hunt damaged his campaign with the comments, whereas Brexiteer Michael Gove has made it clear he does not want to leave with no-deal, but that he's "not ruled it out."

Andrew said that the Tory party want a "Brexiteer, tried, tested and proven."

Jeremy Hunt is talking about abandoning Mrs May's deal and negotiating a new deal. Andrew said he hasn't got a "hope in hell" of doing that by October the 31st.

"I can see more and more money pouring into Michael Gove," Andrew said.

Andrew said that he could see a possible leadership contest between Michael Gove and Boris Johnson.

"You could hardly make that up," Andrew said pointing out during the last leadership contest Michael Gove withdrew support for Boris Johnson, describing it as a "knife in the back."

Are the two going to be doing "mortal combat" over the top Tory job, Andrew asked.