Johnson 'row' blows UK leadership race open grassroots campaign begins

Britain's leadership contest was blown open on Saturday by reports that police were called to a "row" between frontrunner Boris Johnson and his partner, hours before campaigning was to begin to win over grassroots Conservatives.

The Guardian reported that officers were alerted early on Friday after a neighbour said there had been a loud altercation involving screams, shouts and bangs at the south London property, shortly after Johnson had secured his place in the final run-off to become prime minister.

The paper said late Friday Johnson's partner Carrie Symonds could be heard telling the former London mayor to "get off me" and "get out of my flat".

London's Metropolitan Police said it responded to a call from a local resident but that "all occupants of the address... were all safe and well".

Johnson is the runaway favourite to beat Jeremy Hunt, but will face questions over the incident on Saturday when he and Hunt kick a month-long nationwide tour to win over the grassroots Conservatives, who have the final say.

Whoever takes the Tory party leadership in the week beginning July 22 -- and therefore becomes prime minister -- will then face the looming Brexit deadline of October 31.

The battle is likely to feature pledges from both contenders to get Britain out of the European Union safely and in one piece, succeeding where outgoing Prime Minister Theresa May repeatedly failed.

But the race might ultimately turn into a popularity contest between Johnson -- pugnacious but affable with a tendency for gaffes -- and the more diplomatic and low-key Hunt.

The "row" was splashed across the front pages of most newspapers on Saturday, and while bookmakers were still betting for Johnson, pundits warned the incident could harm his chances.

"Much will depend on the next 24 hours and whether the audio said to have been recorded by a concerned neighbour emerges," reported the Times. "At the very least it will ensure a leadership race that had started to look like a formality might in fact be something of more consequence."