David Cameron Offered Boris Johnson Top Five Cabinet Job
David Cameron offered Boris Johnson a senior Cabinet post in early 2016 if Johnson backed the Remain campaign rather than push for Brexit. Johnson later announced in February 2016 that he was supporting the drive to take Britain out of the EU, and Cameron’s pitch did not change that choice.
The account comes from remarks tied to a documentary marking the 10th anniversary of Brexit. It places the offer months before the 2016 referendum, when the outcome was still undecided and Conservative tensions over Johnson’s position had not yet hardened into public rupture.
Regent's Park tennis court
Johnson said Cameron invited him in early 2016 to play tennis and discuss his position on the forthcoming poll. The match took place at the US ambassador’s tennis court next to Regent’s Park, where Johnson said Cameron told him: “Look, would you consider joining us on the remain campaign? It’d be much better if … I’d love to have you in the cabinet. You should have a top five job,”
Johnson said he was left wondering what that meant in practice. “And I wasn’t sure what the exact hierarchy was. I obviously thought about it out of pure curiosity – what was this job? There’s prime minister, chancellor, home secretary, foreign secretary. That’s four. What is the fifth? A mystery.”
Cameron's top five offer
Cameron later said in the documentary that he did not name a single post, but used defence as an example of the kind of job he had in mind. “I didn’t say which job it was, I said: ‘Be in no doubt, defence is a top five job, for instance.’” He added: “I wanted him to understand that I valued his contribution, that he would be a major part of the government going forward.”
Craig Oliver, Cameron’s director of communications at the time, said the former prime minister returned from the tennis match “feeling doubly good.” Oliver said that was because Cameron had beaten Johnson on court and may also have secured a concession that Johnson would join the government.
Johnson backs Brexit
Johnson announced in February 2016 that he was throwing his weight behind the campaign to leave the EU, calling it a decision taken “after a huge amount of heartache.” Cameron had pleaded with him earlier that day not to link up with Nigel Farage and George Galloway in support of a British exit.
Michael Gove had already said he would also campaign to leave, leaving Cameron facing resistance from senior Conservative figures as the referendum battle moved into its final four months. The documentary with the new account is due to be broadcast on 8 June.
