TORY LEADERSHIP CANDIDATE Michael Gove has said he deeply regrets taking cocaine 20 years ago when he was working as a journalist.

In an interview with the Daily Mail, Gove said he “took drugs on several occasions at social events”.

“At the time I was a young journalist. It was a mistake. I look back and I think, I wish I hadn’t done that,” he said.

Gove said he does not believe mistakes of his past should be held against him in the Conservative Party leadership battle against colleagues such as Boris Johnson, Jeremy Hunt and Dominic Raab. 

Theresa May formally stepped down from her role as leader of the party yesterday.

So far 11 MPs have declared their intention to stand to replace May. However, some are expected to drop out of the race before the Monday 5pm deadline for nominations. 

The winner will have only a few months to decide whether to try to salvage May’s plan, delay Brexit again – or sever ties with Britain’s closest trading partner with no agreement at all.