Police called to PM hopeful Johnson’s home after ‘row’: UK media

PTI, Jun 22, 2019, 10:41 AM IST

London: Police were called to the home of leadership candidate Boris Johnson and his partner after reports of a heated row, according to British media, hours after he was named in the final two in the race to become prime minister.

The Guardian daily reported that officers were alerted early on Friday after a neighbour said there had been a loud altercation involving screaming, shouting and banging at the south London property.

The paper said late Friday Johnson’s partner Carrie Symonds could be heard telling former London mayor Johnson to “get off me” and “get out of my flat”.

London’s Metropolitan Police said it responded to a call from a local resident at 12:24 am on Friday (2324 GMT Thursday).

A police spokesman said: “The caller was concerned for the welfare of a female neighbour.

“Police attended and spoke to all occupants of the address, who were all safe and well.

“There were no offences or concerns apparent to the officers and there was no cause for police action.”

The neighbour, who said they recorded the altercation from inside their home, told the Guardian: “I (was) hoping that someone would answer the door and say ‘We’re okay’. I knocked three times and no one came to the door.”

It was also reported that the neighbour heard “a couple of very loud screams” and a “loud bang” which shook the house.
The Press Association news agency reported Johnson’s spokesman did not respond to repeated calls for comment.

Ex-foreign secretary Johnson on Saturday kicks off a month-long nationwide tour in his bid to win over grassroots Conservatives to become prime minister.

After five rounds of secret voting by MPs in the governing Conservative Party, Johnson and Jeremy Hunt are the two final contenders out of an original field of 13 hopefuls.