David Cameron sent Boris Johnson a revenge text after the former London mayor was defeated in his leadership bid, a new book claims.

Mr Johnson failed to put his name forward to become the new Tory leader after the Brexit vote after being betrayed by fellow Leave campaigner Michael Gove.

In a book by Tim Shipman, it is claimed Mr Cameron sent Mr Johnson a gloating message saying: “You should have stuck with me, mate.”

Extracts of the book All Out War were published in today’s Sunday Times, promising to tell the “disastrous inside story of how Boris did not become prime minister”.

One cabinet member told the author that Mr Cameron was “the happiest I have seen him in a long time” on the day Mr Gove launched his rival bid for the top job.

Mr Cameron, who backed staying in the EU, stood down from his role as Prime Minister when the referendum vote failed to go his way.

The book also claims Andrea Leadsom had been due to join Mr Gove and Mr Johnson’s leadership team but fell out with the pair when the ex-mayor failed to send a tweet about it by 8pm.

It is claimed she texted Mr Johnson to say: “I am very sorry Boris and Michael but it was very clear I needed a public statement this evening.

“I would have been really keen to work with you but I am now going to submit my nomination papers.”

According to the volume, the loss of Leadsom was the final straw for Mr Gove, who had already been “under intense pressure” from his own allies to run for leader.

Three French defence officials and two other people died when a surveillance plane crashed shortly after take-off at Malta International Airport.

The light aircraft was setting off on a mission over the Mediterranean around 07:20 (05:20 GMT) when it nose-dived and disintegrated in a ball of flames.

There was no explosion prior to the crash, according to eyewitnesses.

Malta said the flight had been part of a French operation to track illicit trafficking of people and drugs.

An investigation into the causes of the crash is to be conducted by the French defence ministry.

The airport has re-opened with some disruption expected to the day’s scheduled flights.

‘Straight down’

French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian confirmed that three of the victims were ministry staff while the other two were contractors.

Early reports that the victims had been officials from the EU’s border agency were quickly denied. Frontex said none of its staff had been involved.

The Maltese government said the flight had been due to return to the island within hours without landing in third countries.

Eyewitnesses told the Times of Malta the plane had taken off before turning on its side and going “straight down into the ground”.

Eyewitness Ed de Gaetano said: “Our plane was just about to take off, and there was a massive explosion on the right hand side of the plane.

“It’s pretty scary, a lot of commotion in the plane and everyone was wondering what was going on.”

Video shot from another plane at the airport shows flames and thick black smoke billowing from the site of the crash, next to the runway.

All of the victims’ remains have been found, the Maltese government said.