BREAKING: Gove out as Johnson and Hunt go through to Tory leadership final vote

MICHAEL GOVE has been knocked out of the Tory leadership campaign by just two votes. 

He collected 75 votes but second placed Jeremy Hunt gathered 77. 

Boris Johnson is in pole position after collecting 160 votes out of 313, with one paper spoiled. 

But now he is being accused of using ‘dirty tricks’ in his bid to win the Tory crown. 

His main target appeared to be Environment Secretary Gove. The latter’s supporters said that Johnson had been been plotting an ‘Oxbridge knifing’ as revenge against him. They blame him for scuppering Johnson’s first tilt at the leadership, leaving the way open for Theresa May. 

At the time, Gove had backed Johnson initially, then suddenly announced his own campaign. 

Johnson and Foreign Secretary Hunt will now have their names put to the 120,000 Conservative Party members who will vote for their new leader. 

Earlier today Home Secretary Sajid Javid was knocked out, leaving a three-horse race for the leadership to be contested by Johnson, Gove and Hunt. 

Last night’s loser in the elections, Rory Stewart blamed ‘dark arts’ for his demise. It is thought several MPs who secretly supported Johnson voted for Stewart initially in order to knock out rival Dominic Raab. They then switched their backing to Johnson.