Michael Gove backs Boris Johnson over £350m Brexit row
2 min read
Michael Gove has given his backing to Boris Johnson over his claims that Britain will save £350 million a week once it quits the European Union.
Mr Johnson has become embroiled in an extraordinary row with the head of the UK statistics watchdog over the claim, which was contained in an article for the Daily Telegraph.
Sir David Norgrove wrote to the Foreign Secretary accusing him of a "clear misuse" of official statistics.
In retaliation, Mr Johnson wrote back accusing him of a "willful distortion of the text of my article".
Environment Secretary Mr Gove - who famously withdrew his support for Mr Johnson's Tory leadership bid last year so he could run himself - took to Twitter to support his former Vote Leave colleague.
In a further sign of the disarray within government over the row, defence minister Tobias Ellwood called for "purpose and unity" after Home Secretary Amber Rudd accused Boris Johnson of "backseat driving" on Brexit.
A spokeswoman for the Prime Minister today insisted that Theresa May retained "full confidence" in the Foreign Secretary.
However, she refused to be drawn into a row which threatens to overshadow her attendance at the UN General Assembly in New York this week.
She said: "The Foreign Secretary's views are well known, he expressed them during the referendum campaign. What's important is that the Foreign Secretary and Cabinet are united behind the Government's plan for Brexit."
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