Cameron 'to attack Gove' in upcoming memoir

Former prime minister David Cameron will launch a withering attack on his former colleague Michael Gove in his upcoming memoir, according to the Sunday Times.

Cameron reportedly blames Gove for his defeat in the EU referendum and said he had no idea his former friend would betray him by backing the ‘Leave’ campaign.

Two sources said Cameron plans to be very honest in the book, the publication of which has been delayed until next September once Brexit has taken place. One said: “Cameron was really anti-Gove. He was saying he was a lunatic. He had not realised quite how mad Michael Gove was until that whole incident. He was saying he feels even more cross with Gove than Boris.”

Cameron has “let it be known” that he does not, however, hold a grudge against Boris Johnson (who also backed the 'Leave' campaign), according to one source. “He said Boris would probably now be running off against George Osborne for the leadership of the Tory party if Gove had not mucked it up. He’s going to put that in his book."

The former prime minister is still working on his memoirs but has shared chapters with friends in politics, the Sunday Times reported. One said the sections on Brexit and his personal life were “very good” but that the bits “where he tries to explain his achievements as prime minister are pretty dull”.

HarperCollins imprint William Collins acquired world rights to the memoir in 2016 in a "hotly contested and significant deal" negotiated with literary agent Ed Victor.

At the time the publisher said the book was "a frank and personal account of David Cameron's time in power in Number 10 Downing Street”, which draws on more than 50 hours-worth of audio tapes recorded with Times columnist Daniel Finkelstein during Cameron’s time as prime minister.

The as-yet-untitled memoir "will address all the key issues and decisions he made as Prime Minister, including critical reforms to the economy, welfare and education, the bombing of Libya, and the Parliamentary vote on Syria. The book will cover in depth the Scottish and European referendum campaigns, as well as his work in modernising and turning around the fortunes of the Conservative Party."