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Johnson, McVey and Raab each hint at Tory leadership ambitions Johnson, McVey and Raab each hint at Tory leadership ambitions
(about 3 hours later)
Three Brexit-supporting former cabinet ministers have signalled in television interviews that they would be interested in running for the Conservative leadership if Theresa May is forced to resign after Tuesday night’s critical Brexit vote, in a sign of the prime minster’s crumbling authority.Three Brexit-supporting former cabinet ministers have signalled in television interviews that they would be interested in running for the Conservative leadership if Theresa May is forced to resign after Tuesday night’s critical Brexit vote, in a sign of the prime minster’s crumbling authority.
Boris Johnson, Esther McVey and Dominic Raab all refused to rule out leadership bids and called on May to persuade the EU to ditch the backstop and withhold some of the £39bn divorce bill, though Brussels has said no further negotiation is possible.Boris Johnson, Esther McVey and Dominic Raab all refused to rule out leadership bids and called on May to persuade the EU to ditch the backstop and withhold some of the £39bn divorce bill, though Brussels has said no further negotiation is possible.
Soft Tories immediately sounded the alarm over the leadership jostling, with former attorney general Dominic Grieve suggesting the party could be on the brink of a formal split.
Thousands protest against Tommy Robinson Brexit march amid Tory infighting - Politics liveThousands protest against Tommy Robinson Brexit march amid Tory infighting - Politics live
The former foreign secretary said he felt a “deep sense of personal responsibility” for the 2016 referendum result and when asked directly about whether he would rule out trying to become prime minister, declined to do so. Speaking on The Andrew Marr Show, Johnson said he felt a “deep sense of personal responsibility” for the 2016 referendum result and when asked directly about whether he would rule out trying to become prime minister, declined to do so.
“I will give you an absolute, categorical promise that I will continue to advocate what I think is the most sensible plan,” Johnson said, although he dismissed as “nonsense” speculation he had begun offering Tory colleagues jobs in a future administration. “I will give you an absolute, categorical promise that I will continue to advocate what I think is the most sensible plan,” the former foreign secretary said, although he dismissed as nonsense speculation he had begun offering Tory colleagues jobs in a future administration.
An hour earlier, McVey, the former work and pensions secretary, said she believed it would be “very difficult” for Theresa May to stay on if she failed to renegotiate the Brexit deal. An hour earlier, McVey, the former work and pensions secretary, said she believed it would be “very difficult” for May to stay on if she failed to renegotiate the Brexit deal.
McVey did not rule out running for the leadership herself, saying she would do so “if people asked me”. But she said she was “looking for a person who can unite the party behind the Brexit deal” and said Brexiters should get behind one candidate, but did not name anyone. McVey did not rule out running for the leadership herself, saying she would do so “if people asked me”. She said she was “looking for a person who can unite the party behind the Brexit deal” and said Brexiters should get behind one candidate, but did not name anyone.
May is facing a battle to get her Brexit deal approved by MPs on Tuesday, with 100 Conservatives including McVey saying they will vote against it. Despite repeated rumours of delay, the Brexit secretary, Steve Barclay, said on Sunday the vote would take place as scheduled. Grieve, who authored an amendment for next week that MPs could use to attempt to block a no-deal Brexit, said a formal split looked possible.
“The vote is going ahead,” he told the BBC. “That’s because it is a good deal, it’s the only deal and it’s important we don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good.” “There is a risk the party will split and cannot continue in its current form,” he said, adding that Johnson would be a “disastrous leader” for the Conservatives and he would personally find it “very difficult in those circumstances to take the Conservative whip”.
No 10 sources played down the prospect of May making a dash to Brussels to ask for further concessions, before the scheduled EU summit at the end of the week, saying there would be little political benefit. The former cabinet minister Justine Greening hinted that she believed parliament was unworkable in its current form. “People are utterly fed up to the back teeth with parliament being stuck on Brexit and nothing else – it can’t go on like this,” she told the Guardian.
Instead, the whipping offensive, which will involve the prime minister making multiple calls to colleagues in the coming days, is likely to focus on the risk to hard Brexiters of a defeated deal leading to a Norway-style agreement or a second referendum. Brexit minister Kwasi Kwarteng played down the prospect of a formal split in the party, although he said it was possible some MPs could resign the whip.
But with no obvious concessions on the horizon, speculation about the leadership has intensified over the weekend with talk that the cabinet ministers Sajid Javid and Jeremy Hunt and the former Brexit secretary David Davis would also run if May were to quit. “I think that when the party split in the 19th century it was so devastating that the Conservative party is almost wired in its DNA not to split,” he told BBC Radio 5 Live. “I think one or two people might leave, I don’t know who they will be.”
Speculation about the leadership intensified over the weekend, with suggestions that the cabinet ministers Sajid Javid and Jeremy Hunt, and the former Brexit secretary David Davis would also run if May were to quit. Javid is hosting a joint Christmas drinks for MPs alongside the Commons leader, Andrea Leadsom.
Speculation has also mounted that the newly returned cabinet minister Amber Rudd could be mulling an alliance with the environment minister, Michael Gove, though it is unclear which of them would put themselves forward for the top job.
Appearing on Sky News, Raab, another former Brexit secretary, said when asked about his leadership ambitions: “I’ve always said I wouldn’t rule it out, but I’m just not going to get sucked into that debate.” He said the public would think it indulgent to do so.Appearing on Sky News, Raab, another former Brexit secretary, said when asked about his leadership ambitions: “I’ve always said I wouldn’t rule it out, but I’m just not going to get sucked into that debate.” He said the public would think it indulgent to do so.
Raab said he believed May could still hang on as leader “even in the event of a big loss on the vote” because he thought “she could still turn it round” by immediately trying to renegotiate the deal. “If parliament has voted the deal down I think she can go and say this deal doesn’t work for the United Kingdom.”Raab said he believed May could still hang on as leader “even in the event of a big loss on the vote” because he thought “she could still turn it round” by immediately trying to renegotiate the deal. “If parliament has voted the deal down I think she can go and say this deal doesn’t work for the United Kingdom.”
Raab said no deal could be a better outcome if May could not force further concessions. “Ultimately we need to be willing to walk away,” he said.Raab said no deal could be a better outcome if May could not force further concessions. “Ultimately we need to be willing to walk away,” he said.
Johnson and McVey made similar points about the need to remove the backstop and withhold some of the £39bn divorce bill until a comprehensive free trade agreement is signed between the UK and the EU.Johnson and McVey made similar points about the need to remove the backstop and withhold some of the £39bn divorce bill until a comprehensive free trade agreement is signed between the UK and the EU.
The former foreign secretary, speaking on the BBC One’s Andrew Marr Show, said the backstop arrangements meant “we should consign ourselves to a future in which the EU effectively rules us in many, many respects and yet we have no say round the table in Brussels”.
Refusing to pay some of the divorce bill would concentrate minds in any negotiation with the EU, Johnson said. “That is the way to put a tiger in the tank.”
McVey argued the party’s support for May as prime minister was conditional on renegotiation. She told Sky News’s Sophy Ridge on Sunday that if May “goes out and gets the deal we want on those key points then she will remain as our prime minister”, adding: “If she doesn’t it is going very difficult for her.”
The prime minister resigns after a humiliating defeat. Many MPs believe she will have to go if she loses by more than 100 votes. An interim prime minister would have to be chosen while the Tory party plans a leadership contest.The prime minister resigns after a humiliating defeat. Many MPs believe she will have to go if she loses by more than 100 votes. An interim prime minister would have to be chosen while the Tory party plans a leadership contest.
May begs Michel Barnier, the European Union’s chief Brexit negotiator, left, to go the extra mile and reopen the talks. She asks for concessions over the Irish backstop, and then puts whatever she can secure to a second vote in the Commons.May begs Michel Barnier, the European Union’s chief Brexit negotiator, left, to go the extra mile and reopen the talks. She asks for concessions over the Irish backstop, and then puts whatever she can secure to a second vote in the Commons.
Plenty of Conservative and Labour MPs would be happy to see a soft-Brexit, Norway-style solution that keeps Britain in the single market, as suggested by Amber Rudd, the work and pensions secretary. Although she has previously rubbished the idea, May could do a U-turn and try to sell it as a compromise to avoid the disaster of no deal.Plenty of Conservative and Labour MPs would be happy to see a soft-Brexit, Norway-style solution that keeps Britain in the single market, as suggested by Amber Rudd, the work and pensions secretary. Although she has previously rubbished the idea, May could do a U-turn and try to sell it as a compromise to avoid the disaster of no deal.
With her deal ditched, and if “no deal” is also ruled out by parliament, May’s least worst option could be to go back to the people. Many Tory MPs are pushing her to do so. If Labour officially backs the idea, a second referendum –as suggested by Keir Starmer, the shadow Brexit secretary – could happen.With her deal ditched, and if “no deal” is also ruled out by parliament, May’s least worst option could be to go back to the people. Many Tory MPs are pushing her to do so. If Labour officially backs the idea, a second referendum –as suggested by Keir Starmer, the shadow Brexit secretary – could happen.
If parliament cannot agree on what kind of exit from the European Union it wants, and if there is no majority for a second referendum, Britain hurtles towards a no-deal departure on 29 March 2019. A hardcore group of Brexiters led by Boris Johnson and Jacob Rees-Mogg would rather accept trading with Europe on basic World Trade Organisation terms than May’s deal or any form of soft Brexit.If parliament cannot agree on what kind of exit from the European Union it wants, and if there is no majority for a second referendum, Britain hurtles towards a no-deal departure on 29 March 2019. A hardcore group of Brexiters led by Boris Johnson and Jacob Rees-Mogg would rather accept trading with Europe on basic World Trade Organisation terms than May’s deal or any form of soft Brexit.
If there is no agreement on anything, and “no deal” has been blocked off as an option by parliament, the other choice available is no Brexit. May or whoever is in charge could form a cross-party government of national unity, revoke Article 50 and call the whole thing off.If there is no agreement on anything, and “no deal” has been blocked off as an option by parliament, the other choice available is no Brexit. May or whoever is in charge could form a cross-party government of national unity, revoke Article 50 and call the whole thing off.
McVey resigned last month a day after a stormy cabinet meeting in which ministers were asked to sign off the legally binding withdrawal agreement negotiated with Brussels. She told Ridge she had demanded a vote in cabinet “on the most crucial issue of a generation”. McVey argued the party’s support for May as prime minister was conditional on renegotiation. She told Sky News’s Sophy Ridge on Sunday that if May “goes out and gets the deal we want on those key points then she will remain as our prime minister”, adding: “If she doesn’t it is going to be very difficult for her.”
McVey denied having a “meltdown” at the meeting, as leaks had suggested. Describing herself as a “straight talker”, she said: “If there was a meltdown it was from people not wanting to put their names to a vote”. Greening, who has said she will vote against the deal in order to push for a second referendum, said it was up to all MPs in parliament to find a way out of the spiral. The former education secretary said she was not convinced that a Norway-style deal would be any more acceptable than the prime minister’s deal.
Barclay said ministers would continue making the case for the deal up until the vote and said there would be no more negotiations with Brussels. “The risk for those who say simply go back and ask again, the risk is that isn’t necessarily a one-way street,” he said. “The French, the Spanish and others will turn round, if we seek to reopen the negotiation, and ask for more.” They’re chasing May’s leadership – but statesmanship is what we need now | Matthew d’Ancona
The Tory Brexiter Jacob Rees-Mogg, writing in the Mail on Sunday, said May should stand down immediately and proposed that “leading figures from either side” of the party, “such as Boris Johnson and Amber Rudd”, could come together to “deliver the Brexit people voted for”. “Communities across the country are telling their MPs they don’t like the ‘one foot in, one foot out’ approach of the prime minister’s deal, but the reality is it’s the same problem with the Norway approach – they just leave everyone unhappy,” she said. “However unpalatable it is for MPs, if it’s gridlock in parliament, then MPs have to allow people to choose and find a consensus for themselves.”
Grieve told Sky News that the European issue was of such “fundamental character” that it was clouding all the other issues where Tory colleagues could essentially agree. “That bothers me very much because one of the products of Brexit has been total paralysis on virtually every other area of policy,” he said.
He said he opposed Johnson’s leadership because of his record, not just his hard-Brexit views. “It’s perhaps got less to do with issues around Brexit than I’m afraid my own assessment of his competence,” he said.
Pressed on McVey’s leadership ambitions, Grieve said: “There are all sorts of people who may wish to throw their hat into the ring. At the moment I’m not very interested in finding a new leader because I think the process of finding a new leader in itself would be disastrous for us.”
BrexitBrexit
Road to the voteRoad to the vote
Esther McVeyEsther McVey
European UnionEuropean Union
Foreign policyForeign policy
EuropeEurope
ConservativesConservatives
Boris JohnsonBoris Johnson
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