Nadhim Zahawi hits back at Adil Ray as he fiercely defends Johnson

Good Morning Britain host Adil Ray locked horns with Nadhim Zahawi during Thursday’s instalment of the ITV news programme as the Conservative MP fiercely defended Boris Johnson. Zahawi claimed Johnson pulled out of the race to replace Liz Truss as Prime Minister to allow Rishi Sunak to become the nation’s leader despite getting “102 endorsements”. The minister shut down Ray for telling viewers Johnson was only “looking after his own self-interest”. As the debate got underway, Zahawi told ITV viewers he believed Johnson had “put his country and party ahead of himself” by withdrawing from the leadership race. However, Ray interjected: “Well that’s not strictly true is it because he said he spoke to both Penny Mordaunt and Rishi Sunak to see if they would unite. “In other words, would they stand down as leaders and let him be the leader – that’s not in the national interest. “Once again Boris Johnson was looking after his own self-interest.” READ MORE: Death in Paradise’s famous new face talks ‘beautiful memories’ on set GMB’s Adil Ray clashed with Nadhim Zahawi over Boris Johnson (Image: ITV) Rishi Sunak became the Prime Minister earlier this week (Image: GETTY ) Nadhim Zahawi was grilled over the Tory Party on GMB (Image: ITV) Charlotte Hawkins and Adil Ray questioned the MP’s support for Johnson (Image: ITV)The debate came following reports of Zahawi denying Conservative MPs “plotted” to keep Johnson off the leadership ballot to ensure Sunak could enter Downing Street unchallenged. Ray erupted at Zahawi and asked him why he supports Johnson, adding: “From what I can tell you, all he’s just been on holiday in the Caribbean. “He’s had a number of holidays, you ask his constituents in Uxbridge and they say he is nowhere to be seen. “What had he done between the time you wrote a letter saying he should go, and go now, to suddenly saying he should come back as Prime Minister?”DON’T MISS…Zahawi denies Tory MPs ‘conspired’ to keep Boris off the ballot  [UPDATE]Pension fears grow as Zahawi refuses to commit triple lock  [LATEST]Zahawi loses it with Sky host over Braverman’s return to Cabinet [DEBATE]Zahawi replied: “So Boris 1.0 would have probably let his name go forward as he scraped through to 102 endorsements, but Boris 2.0, as I described him in that article you just mentioned in the Telegraph, actually reflected and put the country first and backed Sunak. “That’s what he’s done and that is the big difference, so I am really confident we have come together and reunited with Sunak as our Prime Minister.”He promised the Government would deliver the energy and economic plans on November 17. The debate divided Good Morning Britain viewers who took to Twitter to voice their opinions on the argument.