Boris Johnson remains under pressure to answer questions about police being called to his partner’s home, with a Conservative grandee accusing him of a “lack of judgment” over his refusal to comment on the incident.
The continuing criticism comes as the neighbour who alerted police about the row with his partner Carrie Symonds defended his actions.
The Guardian newspaper said it had heard a recording of the incident in which Johnson could allegedly be heard saying “get off my f****** laptop” before a loud crashing noise.
At one point Symonds was heard telling Johnson to “get off me” and “get out of my flat”, the newspaper reported.
Scotland Yard said they were alerted to the situation by a caller who “was concerned for the welfare of a female neighbour”, the Press Association reports.
At a hustings on Saturday, the leadership favourite declined to explain to Tory grassroots what went on at the south London flat in the early hours of Friday morning, saying the party faithful did not want “to hear about that kind of thing”.
Johnson’s campaign for Number 10 was rocked by the revelations that officers were called to the home he shares with partner Carrie Symonds by a neighbour who claimed to have been “frightened and concerned” after hearing shouting, “a loud scream” and banging coming from the property.
Neighbour Tom Penn said in a statement reported by The Guardian that he recorded the altercation within his own home.
“After a loud scream and banging, followed by silence, I ran upstairs, and with my wife agreed that we should check on our neighbours.
“I knocked three times at their front door, but there was no response. I went back upstairs into my flat, and we agreed that we should call the police.
“The police arrived within five minutes. Our call was made anonymously and no names were given to the police. They subsequently called back to thank us for reporting, and to let us know that nobody was harmed.
“To be clear, the recordings were of the noise within my own home. My sole concern up until this point was the welfare and safety of our neighbours. I hope that anybody would have done the same thing,” he said.
Penn also defended his decision to reveal details of the incident to the newspaper, saying: “Once clear that no-one was harmed, I contacted the Guardian, as I felt it was of important public interest.
“I believe it is reasonable for someone who is likely to become our next prime minister to be held accountable for all of their words, actions and behaviours.
“I, along with a lot of my neighbours all across London, voted to remain within the EU. That is the extent of my involvement in politics.
“The unpleasant things being said about myself and my partner, and some quite frankly bizarre and fictitious allegations, have been upsetting for not only us, but also for family, friends and fellow Camberwell neighbours, who are currently being harangued by the media.
“I would ask that you leave private citizens alone and focus instead on those who have chosen to run for power within the public eye.”