Tues 16th Feb 2016: Slow roast lamb, Johnson, Gove, Lebedev & Brexit
On Tuesday 16th February 2016 Michael Gove and his then wife Sarah Vine had (according to Tom Bowers biography of Johnson) joined him for a slow roast lamb dinner at his house in Islington. As the first of two BBC programmes on Brexit revealed the lamb was cooked by Johnson’s then wife Marina Wheeler KC. She confirms the account below BUT does not mention the presence of Lebedev. Both programmes are available on the IPlayer.
Present was the owner of the Independent and Evening Standard the future Lord Lebedev. According to Bower there was a Government lawyer on a speakerphone and those present were discussing what attitude to take on the forthcoming Brexit Referendum. Bower suggests that Johnson’s decision to back leave was based not on principle but on perceived personal political advantage.
Oliver Letwin had telephoned Johnson during the meal at the behest of Dave Cameron to check on Johnson’s likely view. There is also a story, elsewhere, that Johnson had prepared two articles on the referendum one backing remain and one backing leave which tends to corroborate it. This is confirmed by Johnson in the BBC programme.
What was Lebedev doing there? Bower does not comment and it may simply have been that as a newspaper owner it was hoped he could be a useful conduit for promoting the view of Johnson and Gove. In addition Lebedev had been a friend of Johnson since his days as London Mayor from 2008.
Was he also sending a message from Putin or promising funds? I’m not a conspiracy theorist so can merely comment that on this there is no evidence.
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