Sack Hammond for trying to sabotage our exit from the EU, says Lord Lawson
LORD Lawson has accused Chancellor Philip Hammond of trying to “sabotage” Brexit and demanded his sacking.
The call by Margaret Thatcher’s long-serving chancellor comes amid growing concerns that Mr Hammond is trying to keep Britain in the EU by the back door.
It follows claims Mr Hammond made this week to the Treasury select committee that he would not spend money preparing for a no-deal with the EU.
Just hours later in Prime Minister’s Questions, the Chancellor was slapped down by Theresa May who told MPs money is available and is being spent. Mr Hammond also claimed that flights to the UK from Europe would stop overnight if there was no deal, comments that echoed his predecessor George Osborne’s Project Fear.
Asked whether Mr Hammond should remain as Chancellor, Lord Lawson told BBC Two’s Daily Politics: “I fear not. I fear that he is unhelpful. He may not intend it but in practice what he is doing is very close to sabotage.”
Meanwhile, International Trade Secretary Liam Fox cancelled an interview in which he was supposed to talk about Cabinet unity on Brexit and defend Mr Hammond.
Taking his place, Mr Hammond’s parliamentary private secretary Kwasi Kwarteng insisted any differences were down to “temperament”.
Later, in a bid to bring calm, Dr Fox insisted that there was “no difference” between himself and Mr Hammond. Downing Street last night insisted that Mrs May had “full confidence” in the Chancellor.