Boris Johnson says Conservatives don't want to hear why police were called to home he shares with girlfriend

Boris Johnson, the favourite tobecome the next Conservative leader and U.K. prime minister, said Saturday that partymembers were not interested in why police were called toinvestigate concerns for the welfare of a woman at the home they share.

Early on Friday, British police were called to Johnson'shome after neighbours heard a loud altercation between Johnsonandhis girlfriend.

Johnson declined to answer questions about the incident when he appeared at a hustings event in Birminghamin central England, sayingparty members would rather hear about his plans for Britainthan about the incident.

"I don't think [audience members]want to hear about thatkind of thing, unless I'm wrong," Johnson said when asked aboutthe incident, to applause from the audience.

"I think what they want to hear is what my plans are for thecountry and for my party."

Police had been called to an address in south London whereJohnson is living with Carrie Symonds. Johnsonis currently divorcing his second wife.

"The caller was concerned for the welfare of a femaleneighbour," the police said in a statement on Friday evening. "Police attended and spoke to all occupants of the address, whowere all safe and well."

"There were no offences or concerns apparent to the officers, and there was no cause for police action," the statement said.

Symonds could not be reached for comment.

'Slamming and banging' heard

The Guardian newspaper, which first reported the story, saidan unidentified neighbour had heard a woman screaming followedby "slamming and banging." At one point,Symonds could be heardtelling Johnson to "get off me" and "get out of my flat."

Despite a series of scandals in the past and criticism abouthis attention to detail, Brexit supporter Johnson has dominatedthe race to replace Prime Minister Theresa May.

After several ballots to whittle down the race to twocandidates, 160,000 Conservative members will now chooseeither Johnson orForeign Secretary Jeremy Hunt as their nextleader and thus the next prime minister.

At the event in Birmingham, Johnson said people had aright to ask questions about his character, said that his recordin office showed he had the right character to be primeminister.

Neighbour recorded altercation out of concern

Johnson, 55, who served as London mayor for eight years, hascast himself as the only candidate who can deliver Brexit onOct. 31 while fighting off the electoral threats of NigelFarage's Brexit Party and Jeremy Corbyn's Labour.

A neighbour told the Guardianthe altercation from inside theflat was recorded out ofconcern for Symonds.

The Guardian said it had reviewed the recording and Johnson could be heard refusing to leave the flat and using a swear word to tell Symonds to get off his laptop. Crashingsounds can also be heard, the newspaper said.

Reuters has not reviewed the audio.

Symonds is heard saying Johnson had ruined a sofa with redwine, according to the Guardian's account.

"'You just don'tcare for anything because you'respoilt. Youhave no care for money or anything," Symonds is quoted as sayingby the newspaper.

Hunt focuses on Brexit talk

Also on Saturday, on the Brexit front, Johnson's opponent Hunt said hewould take the United Kingdom out of the European Union withouta deal on Oct. 31 if the EU had not showed it was willing torenegotiate the Brexit deal.

"If we got to the 31st of October, and the EU have not shownthe willingess to negotiate a better deal ... then my judgmentis that weighing those difficult options up, the political riskof no Brexit is far worse than the economic risk of no deal,"Hunt said at a leadership hustings event in Birmingham, centralEngland.

"I would take us out of the European Union in thatsituation."