The Environment Secretary says his past mistakes should not be held against him as he fights to become Tory leader and the new PM.
Michael Gove, one of the frontrunners in the Tory leadership race, has said he "deeply regrets" taking cocaine "on several occasions".
The Environment Secretary said he used the drug 20 years ago and called it "a mistake", the Daily Mail reported.
"I took drugs on several occasions at social events more than 20 years ago," Mr Gove told the newspaper.
"At the time I was a young journalist. It was a mistake. I look back and think 'I wish I hadn't done that'."
Mr Gove said he was a young journalist when he took the drug
He added: "It was 20 years ago and yes, it was a mistake. But I don't believe that past mistakes disqualify you."
Mr Gove, MP for Surrey Heath and former justice secretary, insisted his past mistakes should not be held against him as he battles the likes of Boris Johnson and Dominic Raab to replace Theresa May as prime minister - who stepped down as Tory leader yesterday.
He said it would be up to his colleagues whether he should be leader, but added that he did not "act with an eye" on going into politics when he was younger.
"The question now is that people should look at my record as a politician and ask themselves 'is this person we see ready to lead now?'," he said.
Rory Stewart has admitted smoking opium at a wedding
Mr Gove reportedly admitted to taking drugs ahead of the publication of a book about him by journalist Owen Bennett.
Michael Gove: A Man in a Hurry, claims the Environment Secretary admitted his cocaine use when he was being "put through his paces" by advisers in the 2016 Tory leadership contest.
The alleged admission comes after fellow Conservative contender Rory Stewart apologised for smoking opium at a wedding in Iran.
Speaking to Sky News last week, Mr Stewart admitted to making a "very stupid mistake" in relation to taking drugs.
The International Development Secretary told Sky News: "I think it was a very stupid mistake and I did it 15 years ago, and I actually went on in Iran to see the damage that opium was doing to communities."
He added: "I've seen it as a prisons minister. It was something that was very wrong, I made a stupid mistake.
"I was at a wedding in a large community meeting and somebody passed this pipe around the room and I smoked it - I shouldn't have done, I was wrong."
Sky News has asked Mr Gove's representatives for comment, but not yet received a response.
Leave a comment