Who believes that Gove and Boris deliberately scuppered their chances?

[FrancisdeSales]

I think this may be more Maciavellian moves on the part of the Boarding School Tory Boys. It's going to be a very rough ride for the next few years and it seems they have deliberately maneuvered themselves out of the running while shoving these two forward (Boris supports AL).

I think this is about throwing other people under the bus so they can rise triumphant when the dust settles.

Yes, I think all is not as it seems.

I really can't get my head around their complete lack of shame.

Yes that makes sense. I was wondering why Gove had scored such an incredible own goal, as he couldn't be deluded enough to think that after ditching BJ he would get the top job.

Do we know who Gove is backing now for PM ?

Yes, it does seem that way, I don't think Gove actually ever wanted or thought he would get the job as PM

Me. Gove is an obnoxious cretin who cannot see past his own, blinkered vision, but one thing he isn't is stupid. He must have known nobody would ever elect him as PM.

There has been talk of a 'glass cliff' being the reason there are 2 women frontrunners for the leadership.

The men make such a mess of things, before they allow a woman to take over, and she is set up to fail.

However, gawd knows what is going on in the head of Boris & Gove - it's mystifying.

I absolutely do believe that Gove is deluded enough to think he could win. He was set for a big promotion under whoever became PM - that will not happen now. Why throw that away if he thought he would lose? He gambled and he lost.

I think it was calculation by Boris but not by Gove. Boris will be back.

Totally agree. The position of PM will definitely be a poisoned challice, unless by some miracle we get someone who is actually really good at what they do (and off the top of my head I'm pretty sure that's not any of this lot). They have realised that whoever is PM will end up with a really crappy, hard task ahead of them and will be extremely unpopular. I hate that the people who got us into this Brexit mess are all just swanning off and leaving others to deal with the fallout.

I had a theory that Gove was on Theresa May's side, that he had no intention of becoming PM, and that he would come second and then remove himself from the competition guaranteeing her position. This seems to be backed up by the text sent out by his campaign manager to TM supporters, asking them to vote for Gove so they could block Andrea Leadsom from the leadership challenge.

Gove is not on TM's side (she wouldn't have him if he begged to be)

Yes I completely believe this and also believe this is the only reason we have 2 women in the leadership race. 😠

I think the next PM is most likely doomed to be unpopular and resign in 2 years or so. Brexiters angry when whatever settlement reached isnt what they voted for, remainers angry at everything, everyone with an opinion on how the economy could have been better managed, how better trade deals could have been struck and how money could have been spent differently. And Johnson or some other twat can step forward again and act like they are the knight who will save us.

We need a public inquiry launched into the leave campaign so that they are on the book whatever happens.

Hook not book!

'I think it was calculation by Boris but not by Gove. Boris will be back.'

Yes I agree with this. Johnson got the fear and is banking on getting another shot at No 10 in a few years time, although I really hope that people remember him causing this mess and then bottling it because it was inconvenient to his career plans. But I think Gove's bid for PM was genuine.

Johnson would have gone for it, but for Gove. His face said it all. He then bottled it, so he can have another crack in the future.

Gove thought he could get it. He gamble on the support of both Dacre / Murdoch and his own self importance / arrogance as being some kind of messiah for the UK.

He lost.

If brexit makes the country go to $hit well they can just blame each layer before them. May/Leadsom can blame Bojo and Gov, and they blame DC.

So any anger will get diluted by the time you get to the latest lot. May could even turn around and say she was remain, but you know we have to make tough decisions cut cut cut.

I think Cameron going left them with no choice it's a loose loose for them as neither really wanted brexit just to further their careers.