David Cameron says Boris Johnson asked him if Michael Gove was 'a bit cracked'

Former PM claims Mr Johnson complained that he was treated like 'a leper' in wake of Brexit vote

Boris Johnson questioned Michael Gove's mental health after his former ally knifed him in the back during the 2016 Conservative leadership contest, according to the latest revelations from David Cameron's autobiography.

The current prime minister reportedly asked Mr Cameron if Mr Gove was "a bit cracked" after his fellow Leave supporter withdrew his support for Mr Johnson and announced his own leadership bid.

The shock move forced Mr Johnson to withdraw from the contest, which was later won by Theresa May.

The pair later repaired their relationship, resulting in Mr Johnson appointing Mr Gove as Cabinet Office minister upon entering No10 and placing him in charge of no-deal Brexit planning.

But Mr Cameron, who was prime minister at the time, said Mr Johnson had previously suggested that the saga raised questions about Mr Gove's sanity.

The former prime minister said he had texted Mr Johnson the day after the latter withdrew from the 2016 contest, saying: "You should have stuck with me mate". Mr Johnson reportedly replied asking of Mr Gove: "Blimey, is he a bit cracked?"

Mr Cameron said Mr Johnson had complained that . he was being treated like a "leper" in the wake of the Brexit vote.

In the text message, sent the day after a Tory fundraiser at which Mr Cameron had spoken, Mr Johnson said: "Great speech last night, everyone watched and thought we'd all gone insane to lose you and people were looking at me as if I was a leper, but you had eleven hard years of party leadership and six superbly as PM, more than I will ever do."

The revelations are the latest to be released from Mr Cameron's eagerly-anticipated autobiography, For the Record, which is published later this week.

The former prime minister said that, in the hours after the Brexit vote, he realised the "enormity of what happened" and that it would "stay with me for the rest of my life".

He revealed that he had made a series of calls to world leaders, including Barack Obama, to apologise for failing to convince voters to back Remain.

He added: "There were phone calls with the other first and deputy first ministers. I spoke to European leaders and to Obama. To each I said the same thing: 'I had a strategy to keep Britain in the EU. I executed the strategy. It didn't work. I'm sorry."

Mr Cameron said he had privately encouraged his ally, Gavin Williamson, to back Theresa May in the contest to succeed him.

Mr Williamson, now the education secretary, went on to run Ms May's successful campaign and later proved crucial in helping Mr Johnson win the race to succeed her.

In extracts published at the weekend, Mr Cameron described Mr Gove, his former close friend as a "foam-flecked Faragist".

He also claimed that Mr Johnson "didn't believe" in Brexit and only backed Leave to help further his career.

He wrote: "The conclusion I am left with is that he risked an outcome he didn't believe in because it would help his political career."