Johnson: I will live with consequences of refusal to comment on private life
The former foreign secretary was questioned about his character by a Tory member at a hustings.
Boris Johnson has maintained his refusal to talk about his personal life and said he would “live with” the damage it may cause to his electoral chances.
The former foreign secretary was asked by a Tory member at a hustings event in Perth whether a good prime minister needed to be “a loyal husband and father”.
Mr Johnson split from his second wife Marina Wheeler, with whom he has four children, last year, after a turbulent 25 years of marriage.
His subsequent relationship with Carrie Symonds threatened to derail his Tory leadership bid, after police were called to a late-night row at their home.
In response to the question about his character, Mr Johnson said: “I think that on these sorts of things, I have been asked all sorts of questions in the last 20 or 30 years, and I just don’t comment on that stuff.
The female Tory member who asked the question said that his refusal to answer meant voters would “come to their own conclusion and it may not be a favourable one”.
Mr Johnson said: “Then I’m going to have to live with that.”
